Letter: Bill puts business over animals

Thursday, March 15, 2001 | 10 a.m.

It's rather simple to discern why Assemblyman Tom Collins, D-North Las Vegas, sponsored the "special interest" Assembly Bill 208: Money and greed, as usual, are the defining factors.

This legislation would allow the current animal atrocities in circuses and other venues to continue unchallenged and would leave the door wide open for other animal horrors. As more and more of the public is made aware of animal cruelties, more and more of that same public isn't buying circus tickets. The answer to that problem -- get the law changed to allow the continued use of captive animals for entertainment with no interference from local community preferences (those who want no animals in circuses).

Putting an end to the cruelties inflicted daily on performing animals is a cause that animal rights proponents have joined to give voice to the horrific suffering endured by these animals (beatings with bullhooks called training, for instance). Physical and mental anguish and terror is the animals' daily diet.

The "extremist minority faction" (who want performing animals out of these abusive situations) that Collins refers to probably includes you if you care about the preventable animal atrocities that exist. Please don't let them slip this one by!

CAROLE LA ROCCA