Elephants

I have a story that starts out pretty depressing but ends with happy news.

I used to work at the Moda Center in Portland, OR. Like any big stadium it does a bunch of events and it hosted the Circus last September or whatever when Ringling Bro's Barnum and Bailey rolled into town.

When I arrived for work that day I found the employee entrance had been blocked off and I would have to go around, the reason? They had decided to keep the elephants in the section of the underground parking garage right next to the door we usually use. Cool I though, I'll look at the elephants and then go the long way in to work, that was easy enough, they were in a fenced off 40x40 or so pen set up right there on the concrete and within easy view.

It was one of the more depressing things I have seen in my life, now I was under no illusions as to whether or not the elephants were having fun in the circus, I think live animal acts should be illegal, but it's one thing to know it and another to see it, they looked so damn sad standing there in the dark on their light dusting of hay surrounded by concrete and cars, one was rocking back and forth slowly, which I think was the only thing it could do to feel anything, they had no toys, or anything interesting to look at, and nowhere to go. I don't think there is an environment more different than the one they were designed for than an underground parking garage.

It bothered me for a while then I forgot about it until the other day when I looked around and found that Ringling Bro's had managed to retire them earlier than planned, and all the elephants now live on a sanctuary in Florida where they are subjected to no other discomfort than the occasional blood draw so that people can try to figure out why elephants don't get cancer that much. The place is not open to the public and they get to be outside and eat nice food with all their friends.

The last eleven arrived in may and they got a nice brunch to start their stay.

It pleases me when the right thing ends up getting done, even if it takes a long time.