Elephants never forget...

As much of a fan I am of Reese Witherspoon & Rob Pattinson, I still cannot bring myself to watch, much less buy, the Water For Elephants movie. The allegations of elephant abuse from the trainers at Trunk Will Travel, undercover footage provided by Animal Defenders International, are just heartbreaking. I have seen at least one video & I just can't bring myself to watch more. Regardless if Tai was not abused on set or during the making of the film, does not negate the abuse Tai (or any other animal being trained for entertainment) endured prior to...of course she was trained before the movie & of course the trainers will never admit to abuse or brutality, but let's be realistic here...some people's view of abuse is quite different from another. These elephants are just "things", property & a means of money...when you have that outlook, any sort of sympathy does not apply. If the trainers truly cared for the well being of the elephants, then electric prods or bull hooks would not have been used in the first place because they would know these animals FEEL just like we do. Would they ever do that to a dog or a cat? Of course not - because we humans have an emotional connections with these animals (which I do not believe you can have an emotional connection with something & purposely cause harm to it) & the same views for companion animals do not always transfer to those non-companion animals (or animals that a person may know nothing about etc.).
On another note, elephants were not created solely for our entertainment nor is it in their well being to "train" them to do abnormal activities (i.e. balance on a ball or whatever). It's not like it's done for educational purposes, it's solely for entertainment & the bottom line.
So with just these random thoughts in my mind, is it acceptable to support this movie? The jury is still out on this one...but what I do know, is that anyone who takes an electric prod to a baby in front of their mother should have that electric prod shoved where the sun doesn't shine. I'm just saying...if we believe that would be unkind & painful, how do you think Tai felt?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/11/water-for-elephants-animal-abuse-video_n_860792.html
http://www.tmz.com/2011/05/09/water-for-elephants-reese-witherspoon-robert-pattinson-abused-shocked-animal-defenders-international/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/may/10/water-for-elephants-abuse-claims

Justice for puppy mills

I think it is awesome to know a woman is being charged for neglect & animal cruelty - 46 counts to be exact!

www.aspca.org/news/kentucky-woman-charged-in-puppy-mill-case-neglected-dogs-receiving-care