On a hot Labor Day weekend, Los Angeles–area residents showed their warm hearts by turning out in droves to speak out against notorious elephant abuser Have Trunk Will Travel's (HTWT) elephant rides at the L.A. County Fair. Then, as the first demonstration was wrapping up, another wave of people came to protest, so fairgoers were treated to back-to-back demonstrations.

Standing outside a busy entrance and screening undercover footage that shows HTWT trainers as they strike and shock elephants, demonstrators received honks and waves of support from passing cars and handed out almost 3,000 leaflets to interested fairgoers. Because of the overwhelmingly positive response, chances are good that the elephants gave far fewer bullhook-prodded rides.

And we're not about to ease the pressure on HTWT or the L.A. County Fair—PETA has secured a demonstration spot near an entry gate to the fair for the rest of the month. As long as HTWT is trying to make a buck off elephant suffering, animal advocates will be out in force convincing fairgoers that their money is better spent on the Ferris wheel.

It's not too late for you to tell the L.A. County Fair to send cruelty to animals packing.

Written by Michelle Sherrow

As the L.A. County Fair opens this Saturday, notorious elephant-abusing company Have Trunk Will Travel (HTWT) is scheduled to be there, selling rides on elephants. There is still time for people to e-mail L.A. County Fair organizers and ask that they send HTWT packing.   

If HTWT attends as scheduled, members of PETA and Animal Defenders International (ADI) will protest at the entrance to the fairgrounds on Saturday afternoon. The groups will screen the video footage that ADI obtained showing HTWT trainers striking elephants with sharp, metal-tipped bullhooks and shocking them with electric prods.

Although fair organizers have seen this footage and heard from countless people, including classic rock band Styx, asking them to bar HTWT from the fair, they have refused to do so. By allowing HTWT at the fair, organizers are not only supporting elephant abuse but also putting the public at risk. One of the elephants used by HTWT revolted at the Denver Zoo, throwing a trainer against a wall, knocking over a woman and her baby, and scattering crowds of visitors. Another elephant who came from HTWT trampled a handler at the L.A. Zoo, smashing his collarbone and bruising three ribs.

Help keep the pressure on the L.A. County Fair and remind the organizers that there is nothing festive about cruelty to animals. 

Written by Michelle Sherrow

When rock legends Styx heard about Have Trunk Will Travel's (HTWT) abuse of elephants, they said, "Have pen, will write."

The band is set to perform at the L.A. County Fair in September, but when they learned from PETA that HTWT will be providing elephant rides at the fairgrounds, the gig hit a sour note. Styx wrote to fair organizers, asking them to send the pachyderm exploiters packing.

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Styx gets a big domo arigato for speaking out against abusing elephants. And unless it wants to prove it has the heart of a "Mr. Roboto," the L.A. Fair should heed the rockers' advice and cancel the elephant rides. Join Styx in telling L.A. County to keep cruelty out of the fair.

Written by Michelle Sherrow