Oakland makes Wild Animal Acts ILLEGAL!
(Read the full, fascinating history here.)
Oakland’s son Jack London was an adventurer, a writer, a reader, and a vocal opponent of the use of animals in performance — whether the animals were dogs, horses, elephants, lions, or tigers.
Using his fame and talent, he urged the public to oppose animal acts in circuses and even wrote two novels specifically to raise awareness about the violence and abuse that takes place in any situation where animals are being forced to perform.
In 1925, in response to public outcry, Ringling actually removed animals from their circus and said they would do so forever. Unfortunately, when the depression hit, they used it as an opportunity to provide cheap entertainment for the public. After 5 years of being an animal-free circus, they brought animals back.
Fast forward to 2014 when the Oakland City Council approved the ban of the bull hook (a weapon used to control large animals as elephants). Knowing they couldn’t fight municipal ordinances city by city, Ringling Circus removed elephants from their circuses altogether. Soon after, they realized that without elephants, they could not be profitable, and so they closed down.
That’s right. A municipal ordinance — in Oakland CA — led to the closure of a commercial animal enterprise. Good news, indeed, but there was more work to be done.
Before other traveling shows could fill the void left by Ringling, cities around the country began passing ordinances to ban wild and exotic animals in any type of performance. Now it was Oakland’s turn.
In early 2020, Councilman Dan Kalb introduced an amendment to the city’s municipal code that would prohibit the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement. In February 2020, after passing unanimously through the Community & Economic Development Committee the week before, the amendment was passed by the city council 7-0 (one council member was absent).
Credit is due to local advocates, compassionate voters who contacted their city council members, the city council members themselves, and City Councilman Dan Kalb and his dedicated staff.
We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we look forward to doing it with you. With your help, we can create the compassionate cities we all envision. Jack London would be proud!
(Please become a member today, or renew your membership!)
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
*Watch a video about why local politics matter by East Bay Animal PAC board member Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
*Read Colleen’s article for LiveKindly about Oakland’s history of protecting performing animals from exploitation