Even though we said goodbye to Ringling Bros. elephants last month as they performed their last show in Providence, these critically endangered animals are in need of legal protection. Our state has the opportunity to step up and do just that.

Elephants travelling through our state as part of a show are subjected to painful, abusive training and handling techniques behind the scenes.

From your seat in the audience, this might seem like one happy and exciting act. But look closer: You'll notice the trainers using a sharp, pointed metal rod (a bullhook) to control the animal during the show.

Resembling a fireplace poker, the bullhook has a sharp metal hook and a spiked tip, and it is used to prod, pull, and strike elephants in the most sensitive areas of their bodies, like behind the ears and inside the mouth.

The animals are trained to fear this hook and perform under extremely painful and stressful conditions.

Fortunately, the state House of Representatives has just passed a bill, HB 8197, that would prohibit the use of these cruel devices in our state. Now, it’s the Senate’s turn to act. Please ask your state senator to support the passage of SB 2868 to protect captive elephants in Rhode Island from cruel bullhooks once and for all.

This may not seem like it impacts your every day life, but for captive elephants, it's their every day.

Sarah Dell

Bristol