Tiger Attacks Roy Horn
On Friday, October 3, Roy Horn of the Siegfried & Roy nightclub
act was attacked by a tiger during a performance at the Mirage hotel
in Las Vegas. Horn was critically injured while attempting to force
the tiger to do a trick. The tiger bit Horn on the right arm—at
which point Horn tried to free himself by beating the tiger on the
head with a microphone—and then lunged at his neck and dragged
him off the stage “like a rag doll.” Off stage, Horn’s
coworkers continued to beat the tiger in an effort to get him to
release his hold on Horn, and the animal was finally blasted with
a fire extinguisher, which distracted him from the attack. This
tiger could easily have leaped off the stage and attacked members
of the audience.
A Disaster Waiting to Happen
Big cats used in performances present a grave danger to unsuspecting
members of the public as well as to trainers and handlers. It is
not uncommon for frustrated captive animals to lash out at their
“jailers” and attempt to escape when they get a chance.
Although the Animal Welfare Act require exhibitors to ensure the
animals’ and the public’s safety and to keep dangerous
animals under control, these powerful and unpredictable animals
often perform without any physical barrier between them and the
audience. Members of the public, in addition to being traumatized
when they witness these violent attacks, are in very real danger
of being attacked themselves.
Since 1990, there have been at least 151 dangerous incidents involving
big cats in 34 states. Two children have lost their lives, and more
than 40 others have lost limbs or suffered other injuries. Eleven
adults have been killed, and scores have been mauled. This latest
tragic attack is just further evidence that no amount of training
or experience can stop a tiger from acting like a tiger. The animals
involved are victims, too—54 big cats have been killed because
of these incidents.
Cruel Treatment
The use of big cats in performances is inappropriate and harmful
for the animals involved. The animals are typically separated from
their mothers before they are weaned, abused during training, subjected
to overwhelming noise and confusion during performances, and forced
to live in cramped, unnatural environments. During and after attacks,
these animals are often beaten or even killed. Such displays and
performances also perpetuate the notion that dangerous and exotic
animals are suitable “pets.”
What You Can Do
Please write a polite letter to the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA). Tell the Secretary of Agriculture that the USDA
has been negligent in continuing to allow big cats to be used in
dangerous situations, and ask the USDA to immediately prohibit any
activities that permit direct contact with big cats:
The Honorable Ann M. Veneman
Secretary of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture
14th and Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
202-720-2166 (fax)
agsec@usda.gov
Please write a polite letter to Siegfried & Roy. Urge them to
stop breeding their big cats and to use some of the millions of dollars
that they’ve made off their animals to build a state-of-the-art
sanctuary so that their 60 tigers and lions can be retired to a more
suitable environment. For Gildah, the solitary elephant used in Siegfried
& Roy’s casino act, isolation is the bitter reality of daily
life. Ask them to retire their elephant Gildah to the Elephant Sanctuary
in Tennessee.
Siegfried & Roy
c/o MGM Mirage
3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-791-7111
702-792-7676 (fax)
Please write a polite letter to the MGM Mirage. Ask them to ensure
the safety of their patrons and the welfare of animals by enacting
a policy prohibiting the use of wild animals in nightclub acts at
the Mirage hotel.
Bill McBeath, President
MGM Mirage
3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-791-7111
702-792-7676 (fax)
secretgarden@mirage.com
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