“An Apology to Elephants” (HBO Documentary Narrated by Lily Tomlin)
Below is a link to a full-length 2013 HBO documentary (on YouTube) about elephants, narrated by Lily Tomlin.
Although I could have embedded (via YouTube) the full-length documentary here, I’m merely giving you the link, because I’m not sure whether its rights allow it to be on YouTube legally (I doubt it because it is also currently running on HBO with only proprietary access).
If you subscribe to HBO, you can see it there legally under its regular scheduling, or — like me — you can see it legally via on-demand streaming at http://www.hbogo.com.
If you want to watch it on YouTube, do it soon, since it could end up being pulled.
After seeing this documentary, I’m convinced there is no such thing as gentle or humane elephant training.
In the video, one vet says, “They live their lives in fear.”
In pain too, apparently.
The cofounder of PAWS (the Performing Animal Welfare Society) says “Zoos can be fixed. Circuses cannot.”
In this context, the upcoming Nevada County Fair Board’s contract for elephant rides with Have Trunk Will Travel makes the Fair one of those unfixable circuses (unless it cancels the contract).
Note: The Nevada County Fair Board will hear more public comment about the contract with Have Trunk Will Travel at its meeting next Tuesday at 4 PM in the Ponderosa Hall of the Nevada County Fairgrounds.
Here’s the link (while it lasts) of the full-length documentary on YouTube: