In Hawaii, the Department of Agriculture board has approved the proposed rule against the use and exports of wild animals for entertainment purposes.
The Huffington Post reports the Aloha State will probably be the first among the 52 U.S. states to ban the use of "dangerous" animals such as elephants, big cats, bears, primates, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, crocodiles and hyenas "for exhibition or performance in public entertainment shows such as circuses, carnivals and state fairs."
The new regulation, however, has made exemptions for the display of these species on television, movies and in government zoos.
The move was prompted by the recent release of "Tyke Elephant Outlaw" --- a documentary about a circus elephant who had gone amok in Honolulu in 1994. Tyke was a 20-year-old female African elephant who ran over her groomer and killed her trainer in the middle of a performance at Honolulu's Circus International.
The circus captive was able to escape from Neal Blaisdell Center when she was shot dead by police to stop further damage. "You could see blood and bullet holes," recalled Tyler Ralston, a witness from the August 20, 1994 tragedy.
Aside from animal welfare, Hawaii's senior state director for the Humane Society Inga Gibson said this law also concerns public health and safety. For a state known for its respect for the environment, Gibson added the prohibition of animal use for entertainment business has been "a long time coming."
"We're hoping of course that Hawaii will set an example for other states to take the next step," she added.
Animal activists from different parts of the world have been pushing for this ban for so long due to the maltreatment of animals in circus trainings.
"Almost all training of wild-caught elephants involves breaking them using horrific abuse, including beating, chaining, stretching, food deprivation, and social deprivation," said National Council of SPCAs in South Africa's Ainsley Hay.
Just like elephants, thousands of other performing animals suffer for the sake of entertainment everyday.
