"The Indiana State Fair is an annual celebration that offers elephant rides to hundreds of festival patrons. The supplier for this year’s fair, Carson & Barnes, has been cited for over 100 animal welfare violations, including failing to properly care for an elephant that was so malnourished its bones became visible beneath the skin. Despite the company’s long history of abuse as well as an elephant mishap during the 2009 fair, event organizers have scheduled these animals for more dangerous work.
Elephant training is an inherently cruel practice and Carson & Barnes employees are no exception. Undercover footage and sworn witness testimonies detail highly graphic scenarios in which confused elephants were beaten senseless, sometimes screaming out in agony. The carelessness of the trainers puts people at risk, too. Animal welfare group PETA notes that in one incident an adult and child took photographs of three elephants from behind with no elephant handler present to ensure the onlookers’ safety. Demand that elephants be excluded from Indiana’s public events and celebrations."
