Dear Secretary Vilsack:

I am writing further to yesterday's email in the hopes that the USDA can finally be persuaded to finally ensure that Lancelot Ramos Kollman, aka Lancelot Kollman Ramos, the person from whom the lately deceased elephant Ned was finally confiscated last November, can never again work as a trainer. His documented history of neglect and abuse makes it clear that no animal should be entrusted to his care.

I would also request an urgent investigation into the activities of Tom Frisco, an elephant trainer employed by the Carson and Barnes circus. There is documented video evidence of his cruel methods - see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryDfr3jid_4 [beware: not suitable for children]

for a graphic record of vicious brutality. You should also note that Carson and Barnes routinely separates elephant mothers from their young, inducing in both parent and child levels of trauma and stress sufficient to render them vulnerable to fatal viral illnesses. This is almost certainly why their elephant Jenni, born in 1999, died at the age of 5 years from the elephant endotheliotripic herpes virus.

Lastly, urgent action is also needed in the case of the Hamid circus, currently abusing elephants Tina, Jewel and Queenie, apparently owned by the Davenport family. USDA inspectors have documented numerous and egregious violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including multiple wounds consistent with ankus abuse, eye-witness reports of beatings, and the "inappropriate and abusive use of the ankus..." Yet the USDA has failed to enforce its own confiscation regulations to ensure that no further harm will come to Tina, Jewel and Queenie.

Your action in these and similar cases would earn my lasting support. Please help these magnificent animals, who are quite unable to fend for themselves and are being abused in clear violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. If you need further assistance to enable you to marshal the necessary resources please let me know.

Sincerely
Steve Holden
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Steve Holden +1 571 484 6266 +1 800 494 3119
Holden Web LLC http://www.holdenweb.com/
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