By Dan Murphy
WESTCHESTER, N.Y — The Royal Hanneford Circus will be performing this weekend at the Westchester County Center, in what is being billed as the last show with performing animals, most notably, elephants. The circus, which has been a tradition at the County Center over the President Day’s weekend for decades, has seen a decline in ticket sales and a rash of negative publicity because of the opposition to the treatment of circus performing animals.
Last year, an online petition was formed to get then-County Executive Robert Astorino to ban the Hanneford Circus from performing at the County Center unless they completely remove animals from their acts. Further opposition to performing elephants came from students from Pace University, who worked with Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and State Sen. Terrence Murphy to pass the Elephant Protection Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo last October.
“Elephants are often tortured by trainers who use extreme measures to get them to perform, often hooking or stabbing at them,” said Murphy. “The Greatest Show on Earth – Ringling Brothers – did not treat their elephants properly. These students took on the monumental task of ending the mistreatment of performing elephants. I am proud to be able to present them with this bill. Pace students will always be able to look this and know they made a difference.”
“Elephants have been exploited and abused in entertainment acts for too long,” added Paulin. “Confinement, torture and unhealthy living conditions have led to early death for these intelligent, gentle animals. This law has helped New York become the leader in ending this horrible practice. Elephants will no longer be subjected to cruel treatment for our amusement.”
The new law prohibits the use of elephants in circuses and other public performances, but does not take effect until 2019. This allows circus acts like Hanneford to keep their elephants in their shows for one more set of shows this weekend.
The biggest circus in the U.S., Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, went out of business last year after 146 years in operation. “The Greatest Show on Earth” closed down because of dwindling audiences and continued protests from animal rights groups.
Rising Media Group’s feature columnist Eric Schoen wrote briefly about the circus in his column earlier this month. He wrote: “If you have the opportunity, take yourself to see ‘The Greatest Showman’ at the movies. Inspired by the imagination of P. T. Barnum, ‘The Greatest Showman’ is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
“I have questioned in this column before how in 2018 we can’t figure out a way to humanely treat and train elephants to perform in the circus. The poor Ringling Brothers circus closed when ticket sales plummeted when they took the elephants out. Remember that not only are the elephants out of jobs, but so is every person involved with the circus. Performers, stage hands, ushers, ticket takers – you name it – all out of work.
“So I saw an advertisement that the Royal Hanneford Circus will be performing with elephants at the Westchester County Center on Feb. 17, 18 and 19. The ad says it’s the last chance to see performing elephants. I am going to try to get there. But just think, with all of these circus closures, how many generations of children won’t have the opportunity to see a live circus. And go see ‘The Greatest Showman’ and you will witness the many fine people who will lose their jobs when the circus doesn’t come to town.”
Schoen’s story drew the wrath of animal rights activists who contacted our newspaper. Rebecca Sunshine of Hartsdale wrote the following letter to the editor.
“Circuses with wild animal acts are inhumane, outdated, and for very good reason finally being banned. Mr. Schoen bemoans the fate of ‘the poor Ringling Brothers Circus,’ but has no regard for the poor elephants. These highly intelligent, social animals who never signed up for show business are kept out of their natural environment, painfully prodded with bull hooks, and confined and transported in terrible conditions.
“Animals should never be mistreated and abused for the sake of our entertainment, and it is quite unfortunate that the Hanneford Circus is still permitted to perform in Westchester County. With all the circus closures, thankfully many elephants will be out of jobs, and Mr. Schoen should be out of one, too.” (End of letter.)
Let me stand up for my good friend and colleague Eric Schoen, and his right to express his opinion. First, Schoen encourages the adoption of animals from the Yonkers Animal Shelter on his weekly WVOX 1460 AM Radio Show, and during the holidays he reminds people not to give pets as gifts without making sure they can be cared for.
I share the sadness that he and many of us have about the circus’ closing down. My daughter is 16, and I was able to take her to Ringling Brothers at Madison Square Garden and the Hanneford Circus at the County Center.
Once the debate over the inhumane treatment of circus animals began in earnest about 10 years ago, it made me pause and reconsider my love of the circus. Since then, I have always hoped for a compromise, or a way to let the circus continue so that my yet-to-be-born grandchildren can also enjoy them someday.
Everyone should have the right to express their opinions in favor or against the circus. I respect Rebecca Sunshine’s opinion, but do not concur with her belief that Schoen should be removed from our newspaper.
Will the Hanneford Circus continue after this year’s performance in Westchester? Or will they be banned from the County Center once and for all?
