YouTube video of elephant ban TV news reports from WSCH TV 6 and WGME TV 8, Portland, ME
In 2000 Maine Friends of Animals (MFOA) organized a state and national team for a four year, two legislature campaign to ban circus elephants into the state, which was extensively covered by the media. In the first legislature the Maine House of Representative became the first in the nation to pass such legislation by passing LD 258 by a wide margin of 85 to 53. Feld Entertainment, parent company of Ringling Brothers, then hired lobbyists to defeat the the bill in the Senate. In the second legislature in 2003, MFOA also hired a lobbyist and won a Resolution for stricter requirements through rules and regulations. In 2017 Ringling Brothers had their last show with elephants in Providence, RI – 16 years after the Maine House of Representatives, lead by bill sponsor, Chris Muse of So. Portland, ME. voted to ban circus elephants in Maine.
Video: WSCH TV 6, Susan Kimball and WGME TV 8, Elisa Canlas (3.52 minutes)
