Awaiting a reply

May 31, 2006

Dear Sir,

It was sad to see the comments from those attending the Animal Extravaganza circus gushing praise on this outdated form of ?entertainment? (?Animals in good health?, May 29).

One has to seriously wonder just what level of ?education? the show involved, seeing as attendees appeared to be left with the opinion that wild animals are better off in cages than actually living in their natural habitats.

And as for those claiming the tigers and bears who were subjected to several days journey by road and ship to appear in the circus ring for three days are ?better looked after than many people look after their children?, I wonder if social services should be called in to take a look at childcare on the Island? One visitor to the circus obviously learned a great deal about tigers by watching the circus. While he is correct that many people would not be able to visit Africa to see tigers this is because tigers don?t actually live in Africa! Congratulations to the circus organisers for their obviously high level of educational content.

Interesting also that your report claims that all shows were sold out, yet DNA?s website states that tickets were still available for all four shows.

Oh, and if the Environment Minister happens to read this letter, I hope it may prompt her to find the courtesy to reply to the letters we have written to her over the past month but which have not yet been answered. The same goes for the government vet, police, Home Affairs Minister, Shadow Environment Minister and the Premier. It?s great to see that the government of Bermuda take international criticism so seriously.

I saw the distress

May 22, 2006

Dear Sir,

On Sunday evening I forced myself to witness the transportation of the big cats and bears from the deck of the cargo ship in Hamilton to Tiger Bay in St. George?s, where they will be used for the circus (yes, circus, there isn?t another word for it).

I did this to reassure myself that the animals were actually treated well, as promised, and given the care they deserve. Instead it had the opposite effect!

After the cats and bears waited on the boat for two hours, they were loaded onto trucks and carted down the ramp. Here they had a short delay due to what seemed to be a panic attack by one of them. I was then saddened to see the look on the tigers faces as they were greeted by the joyful organisers, ecstatic that despite relentless protests, their ?cargo? had still arrived. Obviously I?m relieved that the animals docked in one piece, but that isn?t to say they will return home in the same state. They did, however, have air conditioning which was a bonus, but any Bermudian knows that this is useless with the windows open!

The smiling faces of certain spectators changed dramatically when the driver of the tiger truck crashed into an inanimate object before even leaving the dock.

The convoy headed for Tiger Bay. On arrival, where surely the caged animals, after a five day journey, should have been attended to, the owners instead took the time to smoke cigarettes (not far from the comfortable hay beds!), take pictures with flash photography and build a bike for the 750lb bear. Not to mention a number of children racing around shouting and yelling.

After watching the tigers displaying obvious repetitive compulsive behaviour by circling in their cage, just big enough to do this, I decided to leave. Not before the trainer stressed how much he believed in animal welfare, quite ironic, as he could only just be heard over the distressed moans and groans of that same 750-pound bear ? probably just anxious to get on that bike!ANDREW R. DOBLE

Table Mountain