COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
MINUTES: MARCH 7, 2005, 4:00 PM
IN ATTENDANCE:
COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEMBERS: José Alvarado, Chair, Robert Astorino and Lois Bronz.
OTHERS: BOL: Barbara Dodds, Kiley Blackman, Animal Defenders of Westchester, Tom Rider, former trainer, Richard Presser, Greenburgh Parks & Recreation Commission and Louise Simons.
ITEM DISCUSSED: Proposal to ban exotic animal acts in Westchester.
With a quorum present, Chair Alvarado called the meeting to order at 4:25 pm.
Minutes of the meetings of June 1, 2004, June 21, 2004, Aug 21, 2004 2pm, Dec 6, 2004 3pm, Feb 14, 2005, Mar 1, 2005 were approved--moved by Leg. Bronz seconded by Leg. Astorino.
Committee items 17, 21, 30, 37, 41, 45, and 46 were received and filed--moved by Leg. Astorino and seconded by Leg. Bronz. The items remaining in committee: 3, 9, 47, 54 & 55. (Item 21, presently discussed, was removed in error—will be put back as a continuing item)
Proponents of the ban made a number of comments reiterating their position. Legislator Alvarado told them that this meeting was to hear another side of the question and that this time was allotted to the Hanneford Circus owners through a conference call.
Mrs. Stuffi Hanneford, the co-owner of the Hanneford Circus, was contacted by telephone by pre-arrangement. Mr. Alvarado told Mrs. Hanneford that the committee has been asked to consider banning wild animal acts.
Mr. Alvarado: Can you tell us your perspective on the treatment of these animals.
Hanneford: I do appreciate the call—may I ask you what is the problem? What seems to be the problem to taking away the animals from the education of kids who never would be able to see them? What animals are we talking about?
Alvarado: We’re not talking about horses and dogs we are talking about wild animals like elephants, lions and tigers.
Hanneford: What do you know about the animals? Why are you trying to take them away from the circus—what seems to be the problem?
Alvarado: The alleged maltreatment of them in training, health issues, etc.
Hanneford: We are governed by the PETA people which are against the animals, but we are very appreciative to the PETA people that they control the system from mistreating animals.
The USDA controls us. Our animals are registered in Washington DC. All these problems have absolutely been taken care of and Hanneford Circus has never had any problems or any complaints that the animals have been mistreated or not taken care of. I have been a successful trapeze artist in circuses for many years and my love of the animals has been overpowered by what you can do for these beautiful creatures. You people have no idea—because you are in business, you are behind computers, behind desks, your’e doing your paper work. But we are the people now well educated by {PETA, by USDA, and the County Health Department. There have never been any problems in our 30 years at Westchester County Center. We have a beautiful relationship with Mayor Delfino he has only missed our performance one year.
And why are we discussing something that takes away from the children, which is an education. Some of them don’t know what an elephant is until they come to see the show, they see an elephant, they see a tiger. The parents are absolutely enthused and even the parents want to ride an elephant, a life achievement which they never could do in a zoo or anyplace else. In Thailand, where the elephants are used for helping as working animals, they are not mistreated. The same here.
We control. The worse thing is that we cannot control the human being lying in the streets in New York City and other places. Our animals are taken care of 24 hours a day. They get watered in the morning they get fed in the afternoon they get watered three or four times a day and the cages are cleaned. You’ve never had the experience where the animals are happy to see you. Hanneford has been in this business for many years for generations and we have been the most successful and proud people in this business. Why are you trying to take the enjoyment away. Why change it? Animals have been in the circus for hundreds of years. Now all the sudden things are stirred up by the computers, the CDs, and kids sitting home watching this on. The circus is the greatest family entertainment in existence. It is clean, it is wonderful and it is happy entertainment. The people leave Westchester County telling us how much they enjoyed the show and how great it is. I cannot fight you because you are sitting too much behind the computer from nine to five but we are working 24 hours a day to take care of our animals not because of the money because of our love of the business.
Leg. Bronz: Can you give us some specific comments on the veterinary care of the animals . . .
Hanneford: Anything that goes wrong we have animal care, a plan provided by USDA that is well organized and well commanded by our people.
Bronz: Who in Westchester is responsible for the inspections and reports?
Hanneford: We are registered by USDA. I don’t understand why you people want to take the animals. In the wilderness they would be dying twenty years younger. We have been well educated by USDA and PETA people.
Alvarado: We listen to propositions from people against wild animal acts.
This is your opportunity to tell us how the animals are treated and why we should continue to have these acts in Westchester.
Hanneford: The animals are treated to the best--the horses, the elephants were not tied down they have the fencing and the tigers have bigger clean cages. Ladies 40-50 years of age rode the elephants and they were as happy as kids.
Alvarado: You mentioned that you have thirty years experience with Westchester County. Do you consider this last season as successful as in the past?
Hanneford: It was. Elephants used to do work like pulling up the tents. If you ever could see them in an electric fenced in area and give them a tire or a ball how they play and what fun they have and how beautiful it is. Elephants are treated correctly today.
Alvarado: I apologize for not reaching out to you when you were in town.
Hanneford: Mayor DelFino was there and he is the kindest, greatest person and I’m sure he would be the first one to see anything wrong. He said it is the best family entertainment. We bring to you what we love most and know best. My husband is the eighth generation in this business.
Bronz: Do you rent animals or do you own them?
Hanneford: We own two animals and we rent animals
Bronz: Who do you rent animals from?
Hanneford: From Brian Franzen. He has been with us for four or five years and his animals are very clean and well kept.
Alvarado: Thank you Mrs. Hanneford for your participation and time. (hung up)
Tom Rider said that Brian Franzen was the Ringling name that Brian Cristiani uses and he has him on film hitting animals. He also said that the day after his testimony before Congress, he was told by Michael Dunn, the Under Secretary of Agriculture in the Clinton Administration, that it was true that Ringling Bros. trains the USDA inspectors. He then told about working at a benefit show in the county when an elephant was beaten into submission out of sight because she was not fast enough. In his opinion, the whole county needs to restrict circuses or take a big hit in liability. He also discussed the stressful birth delivery and removal of infant elephants. Hanneford gets their elephants from Cuneo Hawthorne Corp. who has had them all confiscated.
Mr. Alvarado asked Mr. Rider if he used to train animals. Rider said he was the afternoon barn man from 3:30 to 10:30 and was supposed to never take eyes off the elephants. Several people gave rebuttals to some of what Mrs. Hanneford had to say.
Mr. Alvarado reminded those in attendance that this meeting was not designed to be a forum but to gain information on the Thank you so much for your time and please let us know what is next and this committee will continue to look at it. When you want to take it beyond this committee. With a quorum this committee can sign out a resolution against wild animal acts in the future if the members feel that is something they want to do. He asked Barbara to look into the County’s liability issue. He thanked everyone for attending and the meeting was adjourned.
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