Pittsburgh councilwoman takes circus test ride
Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Darlene Harris said Tarzan had a tough job.
The Spring Hill Democrat hopped on the backs of an elephant and a camel Sunday at the Syria Shrine Circus after stopping by to see how the animals were being treated.
“The elephant was kind of rocky, and I have to say it was kind of tough for people actually riding a camel, or say, Tarzan, you know,” she said Monday. “I had seen no neglect whatsoever. Those animals are treated better than some people take care of people.”
Harris, who is running for mayor, was roundly criticized after she posted photographs of her close encounters with Tracy the elephant and Rudy the camel on Facebook.
Some people wrote in support of Harris but many of the comments were negative.
“How disappointing, Darlene!” one poster to her Facebook page wrote. “This is NOT the way animals deserve to be treated...and YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT.”
Council President Bruce Kraus' introduced legislation last year that would have banned public events featuring live wild animal acts. The bill will die unless Kraus proposes it for a vote this year. He could not be reached for comment.
Harris said circus representatives who testified during a public hearing last year invited all council members to visit and see first-hand how animals are treated. She was the only one who accepted, she said.
“People who know me know I care deeply about animals, and I would not support anyone I had seen that have not been taking care of animals,” she said.
Humane Action Pittsburgh, a local animal rights organization, continues to advocate for the ordinance, according to Natalie Ahwesh, its vice president for legislative affairs. Ahwesh has compiled a binder of material that she says proves animals are abused at circuses.
“(Harris) is the same person who claims she advocates for animals,” Ahwesh said. “You can see in the photos that there are trainers standing there with bull hooks in their hands.”
The long-handled hooks are used in training elephants, and Ahwesh said they can puncture an animals' skin and cause painful, festering sores.
Representative of the Syria Shrine Circus, could not be reached, but they have repeatedly denied accusations of abuse.
“I rode on the elephant,” Harris said. “I (saw) no marks, nothing that hurt them. They were well fed, smelled very good.”
Bob Bauder is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-765-2312 or bbauder@tribweb.com.
