Sunday, August 23, 2009

Inglorious Circus Stars...

Great park for a two day stand here in Grand Haven MI
Close to all kinds of stuff
Home Depot
Where I bought our new fridge today
Thank God!
Cooler thing was a pain in the ass
Messing up the fung shway of AO's Bar and Grill
And yes Martha Stewart
I spell it fung shway,,,,,haha
Decent crowds yesterday
Maybe 3/4 houses
MI has been decent all the way through
Considering it has a 15-20% unemployment rate
And tourism is taking a hit due to recession
We went and saw Inglorious Basterds last night
Loved It! (hands on side of face)
Two snaps in a circle

There was an elephant recently taken from someone
By the USDA
Under direction of the USDI
I am not going to get into this too deep
But I will point out
That although we keep hearing it was because the elephant is skinny
I have yet to hear that as the reason from either the USDA or USDI
I have also heard some concern that "Now they are just going to
go around snatching up elephants that are skinny"
I doubt it
In the last 10 years
How many elephants have been confiscated?
Does it seem like they randomly picked people out?
Or when they did take one, was it obvious why?

The minimum requirements of the USDA to own an animal
Is just that...
Minimal
If they have decided something is wrong
In my experience
They give you time to correct it
Then they give you a harsh warning and fine
Plus more time to correct it
Then if you still don't get your shit straight
They do something drastic
But I do not for a second believe they are randomly
Going around plotting how they will put the circus industry
Out of business (They know we are doing that ourselves)
I hate the idea of Circuspace running an ad asking for
All circus performers to unite to help save someone
Even though most of the folks are NOT animal people
And surely not aware of any details
So...
We should...
Call up someone or write a letter saying
"Sir, I do not know the person in question, but since he is
in the circus he must be doing everything right, and should
be allowed to continue doing it, because circus people are all good
and should not have to meet the minimal requirements set forth
by a governing entity such as USDA or USDI"

Yeah,
That seems legit


I know it seems like we should all be sticking together
But if we defend what is wrong it makes everything we say
Less believable


"elephants have been drug into trucks and had their legs broke
during USDA confiscations"

Not true

"elephants are being picked by Carol Buckley and taken away
to be given to her"

Not true (Tina and Jewell are in sunny San Diego)

"We love them like our family"

I sure don't! I have never considered tethering my daughters to
the side of a truck. Or putting her in a cage. That said,
I don't feel there is anything wrong with doing that with animals for
Work or entertainment if they are properly cared for.


I am not passing a judgment
Or claiming higher ground
I am simply stating
If we don't want everyone to assume we are lying
We have to stop lying
It is that simple

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

true dat...

Lauren

adam said...

Casey,

I agree with everything you said 100 percent. Of the very few times elephants have been confiscated the person they were taken from had had a long history with USDA non compliance issues and violations. Like you said they give you every chance to fix the problem, Sometimes longer than they should and it is only a last resort that they take them away. Now I feel bad for the person who lost his elephants but I saw the elephant in question in person working and I have to say that she may not have been sick but she should not have been on the road working. I just retired two tigers late last year that had been working in my act since the day I took it over. they were both healthy and could have probably worked another 4 or 5 years but they both were starting to loose weight from old age, as most animals will. They didn't look good sitting next to the other tigers. I am sure that if i had tried to work with them I would have gotten loads of complaints that I was not feeding them right or they were being mistreated,so it was just better for everyone that they be retired early. In show business appearance is everything, but that's just my opinion.

Adam

Susabelle said...

Thanks for your perspective. I, too, wondered what was going on. It's usually not just what's on the surface that we need to look at, but what's going on in the background too. Know the whole story before jumping on any bandwagon.

Anonymous said...

Health is the easiest way to justify siezure without hearing. Real case comes later in the formal APHIS complaint. But USDI case trumps USDA because Fish & Wildlife violations have criminal sanctions. uSDA will cite history of noncompliance.USDI will claim intentional fraud and trafficing in endangered species. Some of this could have been avoided. Ben Trumble

Jack Ryan said...

Casey,

Very interested in your comments and your blog's folks comments too. This has troubled me greatly.

Seems there are two sides to this story -- I wasn't there so don't know who is right.

Still, it's easy to be quick to judge when we don't know all the facts.

That said, it's a tragic thing for him to lose his elephants and yes, I know about his non-compliance with numerous violations. I've gone back and read up on this in various legal documents.

So before we quickly blame "big bad guv'ment," take a deep breath. Think he could have fixed this with a bit of attention to the problems, things could have been done that would have prevented the whole situation. He has made himself a martyr and that's his privilege.

Easy to blame "big brother" when you don't take responsibility for yourself and your animals.

That's just my take.

Jack

Anonymous said...

lets just say it very interesting that u have these kinds of things to say when u have a long history of bad issues with animals. so casey becareful who or what u put down when u have a dirty history yourself. just saying thats like the kettle calling the pot black.

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Anonymous,
Please elaborate on my "dirty past". I can count on one hand the Non compliance's I have acquired in 15 years. And I have never had one on my license in the 9 years I have had it. I two elephants that died, from a disease, and it is documented, and was investigated by the USDA.(because of FOIA you can request a copy) I personally feel the "dirtiest" part of my past may have been working for some of the people I worked for, but I am asking you, for facts of course, to tell me, about my dirty past.

Anonymous said...

Here we go, hiding behind the "anonymous" BS again...whoever it is has the balls to write but not to say their name...? Whoever it is is just jealous that they cannot do what you can do...its easier to talk smack about you than it is to go out and make something happen, like you have done, Casey...to me, your "dirty past" consists of you throwing up a $75.00 steak dinner out of the cab window...lol...Keep on rollin' baby...

Lauren

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Yeah,
The puking up 75 bucks worth of steak and lobster, and probably 75 bucks worth of "straight scotch" and "fruity rum" drinks is one of my darkest moments. Thank god the only witness was you Lauren, and no one will ever hear about it,,,HAHA. I still crack up when I think about us fighting over the little 3 inch window in the cab.

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