0:00:02 > 0:00:05This programme contains scenes which some viewers may find upsetting
0:00:09 > 0:00:11SLOW, TRIBAL DIRGE
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Allen came into the barn and I said,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46"Allen, the only thing I can really tell you is
0:00:46 > 0:00:48"she shouldn't be doing this."
0:00:48 > 0:00:51"And you need to be careful."
0:00:52 > 0:00:56I even said to the owner, then, "She's not good for this."
0:00:57 > 0:00:59You know, "She's not good for this".
0:00:59 > 0:01:03I told Allen not to take Tyke on the road.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05When he came to pick up that herd, I told him,
0:01:05 > 0:01:07"You should leave Tyke behind."
0:01:17 > 0:01:22MUSIC: Maile Lau Li'l Li'l by Kalama's Quartet
0:01:37 > 0:01:39It was a beautiful day,
0:01:39 > 0:01:44and I wanted to see the famous circus.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01I was seven years old, and I was kind of excited because...
0:02:02 > 0:02:04..a circus never really comes to Hawaii.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09And so we were all excited, you know,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11we just, like, couldn't wait for it to start.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13WHISTLE
0:02:13 > 0:02:15APPLAUSE
0:02:15 > 0:02:17MUSIC: Circus Music by The Hit
0:02:21 > 0:02:23When we went to the circus,
0:02:23 > 0:02:27my son told the usher that it was my birthday,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30so she specially ushered us to the front seat.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34And we had really good seats,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36So we were, like, up front.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40The next thing I remember is
0:02:40 > 0:02:45I am crossing my fingers that the elephant show will start.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50CHEERING
0:02:50 > 0:02:52APPLAUSE
0:02:57 > 0:03:02It was either a high wire or a trapeze act, before.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04And, because I remember, I was watching and it ended
0:03:04 > 0:03:07and there was some sort of announcement going on,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09or it was... There was a fanfare or something,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11and then there was a loud trumpet.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14And Tyke was making noise.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18And she wouldn't come out, she was just shaking herself.
0:03:18 > 0:03:25And I saw this beige form moving around on the ground,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27behind the curtain.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30And then it came flying through the curtain,
0:03:30 > 0:03:31followed by the elephant.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33LOUD TRUMPETING
0:03:35 > 0:03:38And I was watching it, I watched the elephant pick him up,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41toss him back down, and roll him all the way out the curtain.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43And I thought it was a dummy,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46because it was very floppy, there was no angles to it,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48like elbows or knees, or anything.
0:03:48 > 0:03:49It was all just very fluid.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53And then when he came out is when we realised, "Oh, my God!
0:03:53 > 0:03:56"He's NOT playing with a doll.
0:03:56 > 0:03:57"It's his trainer!"
0:03:57 > 0:04:00LOUD DRUMS AND FANFARE
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Oh, my goodness, oh, my...
0:04:03 > 0:04:04And there was a guy.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07He was in a blue, sort of...
0:04:07 > 0:04:09His outfit, it was his circus outfit,
0:04:09 > 0:04:10it was like a dark blue outfit,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12and he's going, "Stop, stop, stop!"
0:04:12 > 0:04:15And put his arms round the head of the elephant...
0:04:16 > 0:04:18..and the elephant pushed him down.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20And I saw the elephant go up,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23and my daughter said, "You know what, Mum?
0:04:23 > 0:04:25"I think it's time for us to leave."
0:04:25 > 0:04:28SCREAMING
0:04:28 > 0:04:29I remember the announcement.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33"Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats, everything is under control."
0:04:33 > 0:04:36And I thought to myself immediately, it clearly was not.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40And then the elephant started running kind of, like, randomly around the arena,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43so it's, "OK, this is getting out of control. What's going on?"
0:04:43 > 0:04:45And the elephant started coming towards us.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Directly, straight towards where we were sitting,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52and then we were standing already with our children in our arms,
0:04:52 > 0:04:53we went down the stairs and went out.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55SCREAMING
0:04:58 > 0:05:01All of a sudden, a woman yelled, a woman or a man,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03"Get out, get out!"
0:05:03 > 0:05:06And I was so confused, I didn't know what to do.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17And I could hear somebody going, "He's right behind of us,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19"he's right behind of us."
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Next thing I know, we got hit down,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33knocked on the ground, and then I hear this big boom.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36And I look to the side, and there was the elephant.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41She looked at the elephant Tyke and she said, she says, "Go away!"
0:05:41 > 0:05:44She goes, "You leave my grandma alone! Go away!"
0:05:44 > 0:05:46We came out,
0:05:46 > 0:05:51and were standing about here, holding our two children,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54and the elephant came banging through.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57I noticed the thing was bent out, and the elephant was right there.
0:05:57 > 0:05:58Going like...
0:05:58 > 0:06:01We took our children and ran this way,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and I turned back and saw the elephant.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05It turned and went that way.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09It will be OK. If there's anyone that needs a medical assistance,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12please let us know at this time.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15There was blood all over the floor, and it still didn't,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18I think, hit me what had like really happened.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21- POLICE RADIO: We need two ambulances right away.- OK.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Two people have been crushed, and I don't know...
0:06:23 > 0:06:25- Two people crushed?- Yes, crushed.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28We've got people who are trampled by the elephant,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31and people who are going to go into shock.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35And then, before I knew it, I was in the arena in a stretcher.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39MALE REPORTER: It started off as a day at the circus.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Then, before horrified spectators,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43an elephant went wild, trampling its trainers
0:06:43 > 0:06:46and escaping into the streets near the Blaisdell Arena.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48One person was killed.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Police say nine people were injured,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52at least three others were taken to local hospitals.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- FEMALE REPORTER:- Its handler was 37-year-old Allen Campbell,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58who gave his life to save his young assistant.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01MALE REPORTER: Police radios caught frantic yells of Honolulu patrolmen.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06On the police scanner we hear, "Elephant on the loose in Kakaako,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09"heading toward Queen Street."
0:07:09 > 0:07:11And...
0:07:11 > 0:07:14we all stopped and looked at each other, thinking,
0:07:14 > 0:07:16"Did we just hear elephant?"
0:07:16 > 0:07:18So my photographer and I drove out this way,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22and he dropped me off right here, on the corner of Ward and Queen.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24So I was just coming down Ward Avenue,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and turned onto this street, and when I got onto this street
0:07:27 > 0:07:30I saw the elephant coming down the road, here,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34with the police officers behind.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38I took my shoes off and I ran with my nylon stockings down that street,
0:07:38 > 0:07:40looking for the elephant.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45Came up to the corner and kind of looked, you know, "What's going on?"
0:07:45 > 0:07:47And, er...
0:07:47 > 0:07:51I saw the elephant chasing a person around, in the lot there,
0:07:51 > 0:07:52really, really agitated.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55And the person was just running around, all around the car,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58dancing around the car, and the elephant was moving fast,
0:07:58 > 0:07:59the person was moving a little faster.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Watch out!
0:08:01 > 0:08:02Run!
0:08:03 > 0:08:07I remember glancing out my window and I see an elephant,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10just going in circles and round and around.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12I thought, something's wrong.
0:08:12 > 0:08:13Watch out!
0:08:13 > 0:08:17I see this gentleman try to close the wire gate on Tyke,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and she just knocks it out,
0:08:20 > 0:08:21knocks it open like it's nothing.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24Whoa, whoa! God!
0:08:26 > 0:08:30And Tyke just goes after him. And it was clear that he was in danger.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I saw a police officer raise his pistol
0:08:33 > 0:08:35and fires the first shot.
0:08:35 > 0:08:41BURSTS OF GUNFIRE
0:08:41 > 0:08:43REPORTER: Those were the first shots fired.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46From there she made her way through the streets of Kakaako.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49And then, I'm screaming, "No!"
0:08:49 > 0:08:52DRIVING, EMOTIONAL MUSIC
0:09:10 > 0:09:11TYRES SCREECH
0:09:15 > 0:09:17SIRENS BLARE
0:09:23 > 0:09:25And as we rounded the corner,
0:09:25 > 0:09:29we saw just an army of SWAT team members
0:09:29 > 0:09:31and police and fire trucks,
0:09:31 > 0:09:33and we were told to stay back,
0:09:33 > 0:09:38so we sat, basically, behind the police cars.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42And we saw Tyke right there, sitting up.
0:09:42 > 0:09:43She was sitting up,
0:09:43 > 0:09:48and I just saw her trunk flailing back and forth
0:09:48 > 0:09:51because she was swatting away the barrage of bullets coming her way.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56TWO SHOTS FIRE
0:09:56 > 0:09:58MELANCHOLY CELLO
0:10:04 > 0:10:07'We're told circus officials had tried to tranquillise the animal,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11'but it just didn't work, and when the public's safety became an issue,
0:10:11 > 0:10:13'the police did what they had to do.'
0:10:16 > 0:10:17'OK, right now,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20'we have a live report from our reporter at the scene.'
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Dick, right now, they're preparing to shoot the elephant again.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25They are behind us, behind the crowd.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27What they are trying to do is clear the area
0:10:27 > 0:10:28before they shoot the elephant.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30The elephant is down.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32DISTANT BANGING
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Those are shots, I think.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Come over here, girl.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Oh, my God!
0:10:42 > 0:10:44DISTANT SHOTS
0:10:46 > 0:10:49SOMBRE, EXPANSIVE SYNTHS
0:10:57 > 0:10:59People were praying,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01people were just silently sobbing.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07I heard, I think, a child's voice here and there, "What's happening?"
0:11:24 > 0:11:28'William Dallas Beckwith looked dead, as the angry elephant, Tyke,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31'tossed his lifeless body from side to side.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35'But he's very much on his feet, with only cuts and bruises,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39'no broken bones, and no internal injuries.'
0:11:39 > 0:11:41'Beckwith has been working for the Hawthorn Corporation,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43'the elephant's owner, for about a month.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45'He was Campbell's assistant.'
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Tonight, the elephant's owner says
0:11:47 > 0:11:49the animal has never been a problem before.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53What made it go so out of control, kill its handler,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55and trample people and property on city streets?
0:11:55 > 0:12:00I have had elephants since 1954.
0:12:01 > 0:12:07This is 1994, and have never, ever, once had an elephant go loose
0:12:07 > 0:12:10or go after somebody in a building, or do anything...
0:12:10 > 0:12:12in all those years.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17Among today's claims, that there were previous incidents with Tyke,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20and circus officials should have been aware of the potential dangers here.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22In Minot, North Dakota, an elephant named Tyke
0:12:22 > 0:12:24belonging to the Hawthorn group
0:12:24 > 0:12:27again got out of control
0:12:27 > 0:12:29and had to be contained.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Prior to that, in Altoona, Pennsylvania,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36an elephant named Tyke broke loose from her chains,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39ran around the arena until she was controlled.
0:12:39 > 0:12:45'Animal Rights Hawaii wants the court and city officials to ban animal performances in the future.'
0:12:45 > 0:12:49SLOW SYNTH DRONE
0:13:22 > 0:13:24My first encounter with Tyke.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Walked into the barn,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Mr Cuneo was showing me the herd,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32and...
0:13:32 > 0:13:37she turned, ears out, picked up a mouthful of hay,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39or a trunk full of hay, and threw it at me.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46And I said, "Uh-oh."
0:13:46 > 0:13:47Oh, Mr Cuneo downplayed it.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51"Oh, Ty. She does that with everyone, she's just getting to know you,
0:13:51 > 0:13:52"she's just..."
0:13:52 > 0:13:55And I looked at that elephant, and I said, "Uh-oh."
0:13:56 > 0:14:01This is me with Tyke and Jackie in Japan in '89.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03And she was pretty fair-sized back then.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08I'm 5'8". So right there she would have been over seven feet tall.
0:14:08 > 0:14:09She knew her tricks,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11and she did everything, you know,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13she was a pretty versatile elephant.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17She used to throw the balls, and catch batons,
0:14:17 > 0:14:18and ring the bell,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20and she used to ride a tricycle,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22which she got too big for.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26Tyke was one of the performers,
0:14:26 > 0:14:27so she would only be brought over
0:14:27 > 0:14:30to my side of the barn periodically.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33But when she was brought over,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37I couldn't even go in the room with my elephants,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39because she'd charge me,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41she'd have her ears out.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43She was...
0:14:43 > 0:14:44She was an unhappy camper.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00I moved to Venice because of the connection with the circus.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02I spent 30 years or so involved with Ringling Brothers,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04so this was their winter home.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07You know, we would spend ten months out on tour,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10and then come down to here for three months,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12and then start it all over again.
0:15:14 > 0:15:15I mean, I can't go...
0:15:16 > 0:15:20..anywhere without remembering something that went on,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22back when I was 18, 19 years old.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25I've been coming here since, you know, I was a kid.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29I'm constantly walking in memories.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35My mother asked me to take my siblings to the circus.
0:15:35 > 0:15:36The circus was in town.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42I knew nothing about circus, really, and what goes on.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47So I took them to the show, and that was my first time.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49ELABORATE CIRCUS MARCH
0:15:51 > 0:15:53APPLAUSE
0:16:03 > 0:16:05So, the last act to come on was the elephant act,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07and that's what did it.
0:16:07 > 0:16:08That's what did it.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12It was the elephant act, the music was jamming,
0:16:12 > 0:16:13and the elephants were moving.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15And seeing Gunther Gebel Williams,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18it was just one big party out there, and I wanted to be a part of it.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22It was the magic of Gunther Gebel Williams,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25it was just something about him
0:16:25 > 0:16:29that made me say, you know, "I want to work with those animals".
0:16:29 > 0:16:33Because of this gentleman, the way he handled the animals.
0:16:33 > 0:16:34I wanted to be a part of his crew.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And I ran away with the circus that night.
0:16:42 > 0:16:43Well, fast-forward 15 years,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45I was the boss's right-hand man.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48I was working with all the animals that he was working with.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51APPLAUSE
0:16:51 > 0:16:54My first job was with Hawthorn Corporation.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58FLASHY FUNKY BEAT
0:16:58 > 0:17:00I was a trainer for them.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02I was in charge of trucking them around,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06their safety, their welfare, their food.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Anything and everything about the herd was all on me.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11- REPORTER:- 'Tyrone Taylor is living his dream,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14'performing and travelling from city to city
0:17:14 > 0:17:15'with his herd of elephants.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18'He's one of only 100 elephant trainers in the country.'
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Intelligence is important.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22And the desire, I love this work.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24This is not work to me, this is playing.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28Mr Cuneo's elephants were known as bad elephants,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31and bad meaning disposition.
0:17:31 > 0:17:32He had some tough elephants.
0:17:32 > 0:17:38And you had to be really firm with them, to get around them.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40We had Tyke, Jackie, Hattie and Queen.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Tyke and Jackie were the Africans,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45and Queen and Hattie were my two Asians.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Tyke was very...
0:17:51 > 0:17:55At the point that I had taken over with her, she was...
0:17:55 > 0:17:58I would say very, very gun shy.
0:17:58 > 0:17:59Very touchy.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02She was instantly expecting...
0:18:03 > 0:18:05..some type of discipline.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07And I saw that in her.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09I saw that, and I was reading it.
0:18:09 > 0:18:10I had to read this elephant,
0:18:10 > 0:18:14I had to rediscover everything about this elephant,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16because no-one told me anything about her.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19GLOOMY ORCHESTRAL PIECE
0:18:26 > 0:18:28I was the compound manager
0:18:28 > 0:18:32and I was also in charge of taking care
0:18:32 > 0:18:34of the breeding bull that they had.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39When the acts were in, they all were lined up
0:18:39 > 0:18:42and chained in the barn...
0:18:43 > 0:18:48..and other than getting practice,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51they stayed chained up, 22 hours a day.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Not being able to wander around and visit and interact, and...
0:18:59 > 0:19:04..do all the tactile stuff that elephants do so much of,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06in their daily lives, with each other.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08They just weren't able to be elephants at all,
0:19:08 > 0:19:13they were little pets on a string that people wanted them to be.
0:19:15 > 0:19:21I was one of the very few women that were working elephants at that time.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22They just...
0:19:22 > 0:19:24It was testosterone-fuelled,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28it was guys, erm...
0:19:28 > 0:19:30being tough.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31Being macho.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33I can beat up a full-grown elephant.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36It was just more the culture back then.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40They would be beaten until the elephants were screaming,
0:19:40 > 0:19:41until they gave up.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46Whatever behaviour they were doing or not.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Come on, man, you can do better than that!
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Sit! There you go.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Touch him, hurt him!
0:19:52 > 0:19:54- Make him scream! - ELEPHANT TRUMPETS
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Tyke, she required a lot, lot more discipline,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01because she was strong-willed, and she was...
0:20:01 > 0:20:07She just fought tooth and nail to not have to do what she was doing,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10and so she required a lot more...
0:20:11 > 0:20:12..work -
0:20:12 > 0:20:15"Tuning up" is what they used to call it -
0:20:15 > 0:20:18than some of the others.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Just a lot of discipline, heavy-handed discipline.
0:20:21 > 0:20:22A lot of spankings.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25It was ugly. It was ugly.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Things have happened in our lifetime,
0:20:27 > 0:20:33and she has kept those thoughts. I mean, she's a very smart elephant.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37And she kept all of that with her and, being as large as she is,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41if she was afraid of something, or something wasn't going her way,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43she would actually just leave. She would step out.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45That's what I mean, stepping off. Then she would leave.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55'An African elephant named Tyke went wild before circus performers.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58'The elephant burst through the doors of the Jaffa Mosque
0:20:58 > 0:21:02'where the circus was performing, causing about 12,000 in damage.'
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Altoona, Pennsylvania.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08OK, we get there, and another trainer had came in,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10to see if I needed any help.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11It was the same organisation,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14we were both from the Hawthorn Corporation.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16And his groom, the trainer's groom,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18was really agitating my elephant that day.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22She wasn't having any of it, and she decided to go run around,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and run through doors.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29The police were called out, I believe they were going to shoot her.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31They wanted me to step away from her,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34they were telling me to step away, and they had firearms out.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37There was no way for her to get back in the building,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40she's on a two-storey overhang.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43What are we going to do? Well, my job is not to leave my animal.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45I was not going to leave my animal.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47I was going to get her back to where she needed to be,
0:21:47 > 0:21:48and we did all right.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50So, we got her back to the barn and taken care of,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53and put her away and everything was good.
0:21:53 > 0:21:54No-one was hurt.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57But she did run, she did cause a spectacle and she did run,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59and that's when she was known...
0:21:59 > 0:22:01THEN I knew she was a runner.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25I think the first time I heard of Tyke was in 1993.
0:22:25 > 0:22:31Someone from the Humane Society in Altoona, Pennsylvania called us,
0:22:31 > 0:22:36said an elephant had crashed out of an indoor arena,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40knocked out some doors, wound up out on a loading dock,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42and it took them a couple of hours to get her under control.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Luckily, it was a loading dock, and she couldn't step off.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50If it had been a street out there, she would have been gone.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54It would've happened in Altoona, instead of Hawaii.
0:22:54 > 0:22:55And the person from the Humane Society
0:22:55 > 0:22:57asked me what they should do.
0:22:57 > 0:23:02And of course I said, "Don't ever let her perform again."
0:23:02 > 0:23:05"She's an African, she did that once, she's going to do it again."
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Africans just don't put up with what Asians put up with for so long.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14That's what people don't know about elephants.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16They're just dangerous.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20And you have a false sense of security, somehow,
0:23:20 > 0:23:22in a performing situation.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26I mean, I know probably as much as anybody about how they act
0:23:26 > 0:23:28and what they do...
0:23:29 > 0:23:31..and they'll always surprise you,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35and something that you don't expect could easily happen at any time.
0:23:38 > 0:23:39After Altoona...
0:23:42 > 0:23:46..you know, I even said to the owner then, "She's not good for this."
0:23:47 > 0:23:49You know, "She's not good for this."
0:23:49 > 0:23:53But I was being dismissed as I don't know what I'm talking about.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58"You just need to be firmer, you need to be heavier,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01"you need to get her back in there, and this is how you do it."
0:24:01 > 0:24:06And over at Hawthorn, they had a reputation for heavy-handed training,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09a lot of the trainers were, like I say, old-school trainers.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10They've been around,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13they've come through the ranks because they had their families.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17In this business it's passed down, generation to generation.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21SLOW, SOMBRE AMERICANA
0:24:39 > 0:24:42I'm born in the business.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Fourth generation.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46My parents worked with animals,
0:24:46 > 0:24:47my dad was in concessions,
0:24:47 > 0:24:49my mum was an aerialist.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53I knew in third grade I wanted to work elephants.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54I wanted to make it my life.
0:24:54 > 0:24:55MC: And here they come.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59The biggest performers of them all...
0:24:59 > 0:25:04The Walker Brothers Circus performing elephants!
0:25:04 > 0:25:06CHEERING
0:25:06 > 0:25:09APPLAUSE
0:25:11 > 0:25:15I was taught how to use a bull hook, you know. It, er...
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Most gentlemen...
0:25:20 > 0:25:21You cue with your right hand,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24you carry the bull hook in your left hand.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26You are cueing them by voice.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28If there's a problem...
0:25:28 > 0:25:31the elephant's getting lazy, you know, it doesn't...
0:25:31 > 0:25:33instead of skipping, it's going to,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35"Well, I feel like doing this today." You know.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39And maybe you'll take the bull hook and shift it to your right hand,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43and then they see you moving the bull hook, you know.
0:25:43 > 0:25:44CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:25:44 > 0:25:49Not just me, you could take certain trainers that I grew up with
0:25:49 > 0:25:53could go into Tyke and work her the same way I did.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56There's just a certain discipline that you've got
0:25:56 > 0:25:58and a certain way you work elephants, you know.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04And then you have certain trainers that came in that,
0:26:04 > 0:26:08like I said, I didn't know Allen, I didn't know this Tyrone,
0:26:08 > 0:26:09I didn't know any of these guys.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12I grew up with a certain era of trainers,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and then these guys came along, you know.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19When I'm affectionate with my animal, my elephant,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22it's all hands-on.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26It's all love. It's all here, it's under the leg, it's behind the ear,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29it's showing them all this love that they're going to get,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32because they get that from each other through their touches,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34so I had to be more hands-on and physical and physical.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36And not just light touches, I'm giving hands,
0:26:36 > 0:26:38I'm letting 'em know you're elephant, I'm elephant.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41"Oh, it's good. Good." Even through my tone of voice. "It's good."
0:26:41 > 0:26:44A lot of my work is done from over here.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47I don't have to come across unless I really need to catch an ear.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Remember, that's elephant. That's ten foot tall.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53How am I going to get her head down?
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Put it to the top, head down. And then she'll bring the head down.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58If I have this and I just want them to move,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and I don't want to bring the hook out, then, I can say,
0:27:01 > 0:27:02"Move. Move. Move.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03"Move back, move back.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06STERNLY: "Come in line. Come in line." Voice changes.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08"Come in line. All right, come in line."
0:27:09 > 0:27:10"Trunk! Trunk!"
0:27:11 > 0:27:14"All right, move up tail! Move up tail!"
0:27:14 > 0:27:15And then we move out.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19So everything is changed because now we become elephant, and we step hard.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Because elephants, even though they step light, they're stepping hard.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26FAINT TRUMPETING
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Elephants are big, and they can be very dangerous,
0:27:33 > 0:27:37and the theory back then was, well, as long as they are afraid of you,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40they are not going to do anything.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45But, if you happen to have an elephant that was strong-willed,
0:27:45 > 0:27:47and spirited...
0:27:47 > 0:27:49They were the ones that were going to give you trouble.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Because they thought about it, and they looked at you and went,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57"You know, you're full of it! I don't have to do what you say.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00"I'm 10,000lbs, you're not.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03"That little stick is not going to help you any."
0:28:04 > 0:28:06And elephants are methodical.
0:28:06 > 0:28:12Asian elephants will wait for years to kill you if they are so inclined.
0:28:12 > 0:28:13They hold a grudge.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15They have long memories.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19African elephants, too, I mean, they're very bright,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23they're very intelligent, and they will remember you, for ever.
0:28:23 > 0:28:24Whether it's good or bad.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28And you better hope that they are thinking good thoughts
0:28:28 > 0:28:30if you're having to go in with them again.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35BIRDS CHIRRUP
0:28:37 > 0:28:39Ty?
0:28:40 > 0:28:41Ty?
0:28:43 > 0:28:46'I went through several grooms that Mr Cuneo gave me,
0:28:46 > 0:28:49'but I knew I needed only one. THEY CHUCKLE
0:28:49 > 0:28:52My groom was Warren Wilkinson,
0:28:52 > 0:28:54and he was...
0:28:54 > 0:28:58He's a gentleman that I have known since he was like nine years old.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02I told you I ain't changed, bro. Told you I ain't changed.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05'I trust Tyrone with my life. I have known him my whole life.'
0:29:08 > 0:29:10At Hawthorn, first thing he did was he brought me over
0:29:10 > 0:29:13and let me see the elephants.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15He explained to me a little bit about them,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17kinda gave me, you know, the rundown,
0:29:17 > 0:29:19that they were different than the animals
0:29:19 > 0:29:21I was used to working with.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26That they were a lot more aggressive.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29POMPOUS FAIRGROUND MARCH
0:29:37 > 0:29:41Minot, North Dakota. And it was an outside date.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44That means our ring was set up on the outside, we were at a fairground.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Mr Cuneo had sent down another groom for me,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51he says, "You need a... You need another groom."
0:29:51 > 0:29:55And I said, "I don't, I have Warren, I have my groom, Warren, now,"
0:29:55 > 0:29:57and I didn't need another groom,
0:29:57 > 0:29:59He was persistent on working with Tyke.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01No-one works with Tyke but me,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04and I don't need anyone messing with Tyke
0:30:04 > 0:30:06or doing anything, getting her attention,
0:30:06 > 0:30:10and this gentleman proceeded to keep calling her name.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13And I told the gentleman, "Don't say anything.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16"Just stand there, don't say a word."
0:30:16 > 0:30:21But he was persistent on just calling her name, letting it be known,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23"I know that elephant.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25"I know how to handle Tyke.
0:30:25 > 0:30:26"I know what to do with Tyke."
0:30:26 > 0:30:30Everyone that came from that organisation thought they knew what to do with Tyke.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32It was the wrong thing to do.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34And that particular time,
0:30:34 > 0:30:36she waited until the right time,
0:30:36 > 0:30:37and she went after the guy.
0:30:37 > 0:30:42I just heard Ty calling Tyke's name.
0:30:43 > 0:30:49I turned around and that's when I've seen Tyke attacking Mike Pursley.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53She turned, and knocked him into a portable dumpster.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55We had a portable trash container.
0:30:56 > 0:30:57Huge container.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00And she pinned him up against that container,
0:31:00 > 0:31:07and used her trunk to grind him into that container,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10and used her trunk to knock him down,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13and go on him, used the base of the trunk,
0:31:13 > 0:31:17and had her trunk wrapped around one ankle and kept pulling him back.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21She kicked him, and would pull him back to her.
0:31:21 > 0:31:22Kick him, pull him back to her.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25She did that probably about three or four times.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27She was trying to kill him, so I had to get her off...
0:31:28 > 0:31:32..and what I did was I stuck my bull hook into her ear.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38That's all I had, there was no time to wail and flail.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41And that's when she took off from Ty,
0:31:41 > 0:31:43and we were on a 20-minute chase
0:31:43 > 0:31:45through Minot State fairground for her.
0:31:49 > 0:31:50Ty had Queen.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53He yelled for me to grab a chain,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56I grabbed the chain out from underneath the truck,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59put it around my neck, and we took off running.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03She was trapped between some buildings, you know, wreaking havoc,
0:32:03 > 0:32:05and I had to go in.
0:32:05 > 0:32:06No-one but me.
0:32:07 > 0:32:12He passed Queenie off to me, he started going toward the workshop.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14And I just called her...
0:32:15 > 0:32:18..real stern, got her attention the same way I always have,
0:32:18 > 0:32:23no discipline, and opened up, and I knew I had to sacrifice myself.
0:32:23 > 0:32:24I had to just show her.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27No hook in hand. The hook was over here, but no hook in hand.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31And she turned, ears flared out...
0:32:34 > 0:32:37I just started thinking, "Bad."
0:32:37 > 0:32:41I'm like, "Now I'm going to have to leave this elephant unattended,
0:32:41 > 0:32:42"if he needs help."
0:32:44 > 0:32:48To my surprise, she just walked right up to him.
0:32:48 > 0:32:53She ran up to me like a big dog and just towered above me
0:32:53 > 0:32:56and let me give her all of this love and hugs,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58and inside, I am SCARED.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02I am just... Heart beating because she just tried to kill someone.
0:33:02 > 0:33:03And...
0:33:04 > 0:33:08..to, I think, both our surprises, she didn't give us any problems.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11She literally walked back to the picket line,
0:33:11 > 0:33:13and we chained them both up.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15That was the last time,
0:33:15 > 0:33:20in July... July '93 was the last time I used her in a performance.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22And I still had to go...
0:33:22 > 0:33:25My contract ran through September, October.
0:33:28 > 0:33:29But I wouldn't use her.
0:33:29 > 0:33:34I used just the three, and despite Mr Cuneo and us battling,
0:33:34 > 0:33:37I told him, "This elephant's going to kill someone."
0:33:38 > 0:33:42I just felt like she should be in a sanctuary, a zoo,
0:33:42 > 0:33:46or some type of establishment that's just going to let her be an elephant.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57MUSIC: Maile Lau Li'l Li'l by Kalama's Quartet
0:34:09 > 0:34:11FOGHORN
0:34:16 > 0:34:20SEA BIRDS CAW
0:34:30 > 0:34:34TRAFFIC RUMBLING
0:34:49 > 0:34:51ELEPHANT TRUMPETS QUIETLY
0:34:51 > 0:34:54Two days before I left Hawthorn,
0:34:54 > 0:34:56Allen came into the barn
0:34:56 > 0:34:58and I was working in there with the elephants,
0:34:58 > 0:35:03and he was like, "Oh, if you work my Africans the way you work these,
0:35:03 > 0:35:04"they'll be great."
0:35:04 > 0:35:07I said, "Allen, I'm not going to be here."
0:35:07 > 0:35:11He was like, "You'll be here." I said, "No, dude.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14"I gotta go to Florida, I'm meeting up with Tyrone, we're doing Ringling."
0:35:15 > 0:35:18I said, "The only thing I can really tell you is...
0:35:18 > 0:35:19"she shouldn't be doing this.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24"And you need to be careful."
0:35:25 > 0:35:29And his last words to me before he walked out the barn was,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31"Well, if she gets out of line,
0:35:31 > 0:35:33"my Africans will get her back in line."
0:35:35 > 0:35:37I said, "All right, I wish you the best, man."
0:35:37 > 0:35:41And the last I heard about Allen was when I seen it on the news.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48I told Allen not to take Tyke on the road
0:35:48 > 0:35:50when he came to pick up that herd.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52I told him, "You should leave Tyke behind."
0:35:55 > 0:35:56He laughed.
0:35:56 > 0:36:02Typical macho reaction. "Oh, no, I can handle it.
0:36:02 > 0:36:03"I can get a handle on her."
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Because he had the option. She could have stayed,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09I could have put her in the bull barn...
0:36:11 > 0:36:14..and she would have been fine, but that wasn't an option,
0:36:14 > 0:36:19and the Hawthorn Corporation did not offer that as an option
0:36:19 > 0:36:21to Allen, it was all or nothing,
0:36:21 > 0:36:27because typically the bookings that the Hawthorn Corporation made
0:36:27 > 0:36:30were for an act of so many elephants,
0:36:30 > 0:36:32and if you didn't have that many elephants,
0:36:32 > 0:36:36that contract wasn't going to be upheld.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41And to Cuneo, they were there to make him money.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46You know, and to me, money's not worth a life.
0:36:47 > 0:36:52There's no amount of money that can repay a life.
0:36:53 > 0:36:58So I think he should have been done had her off the road,
0:36:58 > 0:37:00away from that.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03But, you know, greed makes people do stupid things.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09FLAMBOYANT GUITAR
0:37:09 > 0:37:12WILD TRUMPETING
0:37:23 > 0:37:27MC: Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated. Please remain seated.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29- PERSON FILMING:- Oh, my gosh!
0:37:31 > 0:37:32Oh, my gosh! That's...
0:37:34 > 0:37:35Oh, God!
0:37:37 > 0:37:38Oh!
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Oh, my gosh.
0:37:44 > 0:37:45Oh, my gosh.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50'Allen wasn't ever the focus. Allen was the by-product,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53'he was the by-catch, he was collateral damage.'
0:37:53 > 0:37:57She wanted to get rid of that groom.
0:37:57 > 0:37:58Allen was trying to stop her.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02She said, "You know, this isn't your fight.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05"But if you're going to insist on it, I'm going to...
0:38:06 > 0:38:08.."make sure you get out of my way
0:38:08 > 0:38:11"so I can finish doing what I was doing."
0:38:11 > 0:38:12CYMBALS AND SCREAMS
0:38:14 > 0:38:16And then she stands, she's looking,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18she's got her ears up.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20I'm sure she's listening to the other elephants
0:38:20 > 0:38:23that I'm sure are yelling in the background.
0:38:23 > 0:38:24Even if you can't hear it on tape,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27there's no doubt she's listening to the other elephants,
0:38:27 > 0:38:30and she's trying to decide what she's going to do,
0:38:30 > 0:38:34and then that guy moves, and it's just a hair that he moves,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37but it's enough to bring her attention back to him.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39SCREAMS AND CHILDREN CRYING
0:38:41 > 0:38:43She didn't have a plan.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45It's not like, "Well, I'm going to catch the bus,"
0:38:45 > 0:38:50or "I've got a waiting car for me that's going to speed me off,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53"and we're going to live on the lam in Mexico," or anything.
0:38:53 > 0:38:54She just...
0:38:55 > 0:38:59The natural flight response triggered in her,
0:38:59 > 0:39:02she knew she had to get out, and she wanted to get away from it all.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04She wanted to get away from the noise,
0:39:04 > 0:39:08the huge amounts of adrenaline
0:39:08 > 0:39:10that were flowing everywhere, by that time, in the arena.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14She knew she was in really big trouble,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17and she knew she would have been chained up,
0:39:17 > 0:39:21she would have been beaten a lot, and she said,
0:39:21 > 0:39:24- "I'm going to get out of Dodge", - LOUD TRUMPETING
0:39:24 > 0:39:25and took off.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30MUSIC: Sanctus from Missa Luba by Guido Haazen
0:39:31 > 0:39:36# Sanctus!
0:39:36 > 0:39:43# Dominus Deus Sabaoth
0:39:43 > 0:39:47# Dominus Deus
0:39:47 > 0:39:52# Deus Sabaoth
0:39:52 > 0:39:56# Sanctus
0:39:57 > 0:40:02# Sanctus!
0:40:03 > 0:40:06# Sanctus
0:40:06 > 0:40:07SIRENS WAIL
0:40:07 > 0:40:12# Sanctus. #
0:40:32 > 0:40:34SIRENS WAIL
0:40:34 > 0:40:36GUNSHOTS
0:40:43 > 0:40:46GUNSHOTS
0:40:49 > 0:40:53GUNSHOTS
0:41:07 > 0:41:11She was shot 87 times.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15She was shot all over her body, in her eyes,
0:41:15 > 0:41:20and I remembered that huge head,
0:41:20 > 0:41:25just leaning against the car.
0:41:30 > 0:41:36It was heartbreaking to see such a majestic creature,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39such a beautiful, huge, gorgeous elephant,
0:41:42 > 0:41:44lying in the street of Honolulu.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47Lying... Just lying on the street of Honolulu,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50with that ridiculous pink party hat on.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14NEWSREADER: 'A family placed leis right near the spot where
0:42:14 > 0:42:16'Tyke fell to her death.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19'Animal rights groups had a memorial service for Tyke
0:42:19 > 0:42:23'right where the female African elephant was shot down.'
0:42:23 > 0:42:25'Supporters of Animal Rights Hawaii returned to the site
0:42:25 > 0:42:28'where circus elephant Tyke was gunned down.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31'The president of the group says the elephant is not to
0:42:31 > 0:42:34'blame for the tragedy - she blames what she says
0:42:34 > 0:42:38'is the inhumane treatment most circus animals receive.'
0:42:38 > 0:42:42They're shackled often 22 out of 24 hours,
0:42:42 > 0:42:44are routinely deprived of food and water,
0:42:44 > 0:42:46made to wear stupid costumes,
0:42:46 > 0:42:50and this is considered wholesome family fun?
0:42:50 > 0:42:54In the days following her death, we worked very quickly
0:42:54 > 0:42:58and rescheduled our demonstrations.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02We could see that this had really made a difference.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06So we decided that we would go forward
0:43:06 > 0:43:10and try to make sure that this could not happen again.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15NEWSREADER: 'Animal rights groups nationwide are speaking out
0:43:15 > 0:43:16'about the circus incident.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19'Acting mayor Jeremy Harris today said he is thinking
0:43:19 > 0:43:23'about banning any circuses featuring animal acts from city facilities.'
0:43:24 > 0:43:28The Tyke incident was an international incident.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30This was going to affect circuses worldwide,
0:43:30 > 0:43:33this was going to have an impact, we thought, from the beginning -
0:43:33 > 0:43:38not only on the smaller city councils in the United States,
0:43:38 > 0:43:40but all across the world, for that matter.
0:43:49 > 0:43:51Don't blame the circus!
0:43:53 > 0:43:56I helped organise counterdemonstrations
0:43:56 > 0:43:58against animal activist groups.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02Initially, we did have to pay various individuals to come out
0:44:02 > 0:44:06because we needed to have groups of people that would at least be
0:44:06 > 0:44:09able to get the attention of the public, to show that there were
0:44:09 > 0:44:12individuals that were supporting the circus.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16The animal rights activists, just ignore them, have a great time.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19And you can take it and throw it right in the garbage where it belongs!
0:44:19 > 0:44:21Have a good time.
0:44:41 > 0:44:44I met the vice president of Ringling Brothers,
0:44:44 > 0:44:46and he said, "Steve, we're going to need you to go over to Hawaii
0:44:46 > 0:44:49"right away to deal with the fallout
0:44:49 > 0:44:52"from this particular accident, and at the same time, too,
0:44:52 > 0:44:55"deal immediately with the City Council",
0:44:55 > 0:44:57considering the fact that the animal activist groups
0:44:57 > 0:45:01wanted to ban use of animals as entertainment
0:45:01 > 0:45:03immediately after this incident happened.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09Chairman Felix, members of the committee.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12The animals most commonly used in circuses
0:45:12 > 0:45:16and other travelling animal acts are wild and can behave instinctively
0:45:16 > 0:45:20and unpredictably. If they become out of control, they are further
0:45:20 > 0:45:23punished up to and including death, as we experienced with Tyke.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Prior to this event, our animal-related position
0:45:26 > 0:45:32had been that animals that are used in entertainment,
0:45:32 > 0:45:36or, whether they be domestic or wild animals
0:45:36 > 0:45:39that are used in entertainment, they should be treated humanely.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42That was our position.
0:45:42 > 0:45:47And after the Tyke incident and re-looking at our position statement,
0:45:47 > 0:45:52we really came to the conclusion that you couldn't
0:45:52 > 0:45:56treat a wild animal humanely in the entertainment business.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01The circus industry will tell you that they are
0:46:01 > 0:46:03"repositories of endangered species".
0:46:03 > 0:46:07USDA inspection records of John Cuneo's elephants
0:46:07 > 0:46:11show a dearth of even the most basic husbandry records.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14They will boast that their animals perform because they "like to".
0:46:14 > 0:46:17'I remember them as if it were yesterday.'
0:46:17 > 0:46:23Cathy Goeggel, the ringleader, I'd say, of Animal Rights Hawaii,
0:46:23 > 0:46:25was a nasty individual.
0:46:25 > 0:46:29She was not someone you could talk with, or reason with.
0:46:29 > 0:46:34She had a one-track mind and that was to lash out against anybody
0:46:34 > 0:46:37that was opposed to their point of view.
0:46:37 > 0:46:39It was outrageous.
0:46:40 > 0:46:47The industry, the circus industry employs people to say that
0:46:47 > 0:46:50everything is wonderful, everything is great.
0:46:51 > 0:46:55The elephants LOVE doing what they're doing
0:46:55 > 0:46:58and it's like the emperor has no clothes.
0:46:58 > 0:47:02These animals are all trained through positive reinforcement.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05There's a lot of misconceptions on how you get an animal
0:47:05 > 0:47:06to perform a certain act.
0:47:06 > 0:47:08When an elephant stands on its hind legs,
0:47:08 > 0:47:11this is something it does naturally in the wild.
0:47:11 > 0:47:15They reach branches off trees, they also sit on their hind legs
0:47:15 > 0:47:18when they are engaging in the act of sex.
0:47:18 > 0:47:22The facts remain that the animals don't do anything other
0:47:22 > 0:47:26than what they do in the wild and this is incorporated into the acts.
0:47:33 > 0:47:40Well...I would say that it involved a lot of money
0:47:40 > 0:47:44and it's a business and the argument that, well,
0:47:44 > 0:47:47it only happened one time, might have prevailed.
0:47:47 > 0:47:48But on the other hand,
0:47:48 > 0:47:52we've never had another elephant come into this community.
0:47:52 > 0:47:57So, bill or no bill, legislation or no legislation, the outcome was
0:47:57 > 0:48:00and has been that there has been no elephant coming back.
0:48:00 > 0:48:05We have not had live circuses with wild animals allowed here.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36We agreed to take Nicholas and Gypsy,
0:48:36 > 0:48:42the two last elephants that were at the Hawthorn Corporation's place
0:48:42 > 0:48:46in Illinois, the same place where Tyke came from.
0:48:46 > 0:48:48'If you guys want take off, you can go ahead now.'
0:48:49 > 0:48:55Sometimes elephants come in, they don't know even that you can eat the grass,
0:48:55 > 0:48:59that that's even an option, because a lot of elephants in captivity
0:48:59 > 0:49:01have never been able to walk on grass.
0:49:03 > 0:49:08This is Nicholas, and behind me is Gypsy.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12Former circus elephants from Hawthorn Corporation.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15Her whole life is different, you know.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18If she wants to go in the lake, she can go in the lake.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21If she wants to scratch on a tree, she can scratch on a tree.
0:49:21 > 0:49:25If she wants to dig her own mud hole, she can dig her own mud hole and roll in it.
0:49:27 > 0:49:30Tyke could have been right next to her.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33Tyke should have never been in the circus.
0:49:55 > 0:49:59Ty and Tyke, they had some kind of special connection.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02We used to walk in that barn in the morning,
0:50:02 > 0:50:05and he would walk up to that elephant
0:50:05 > 0:50:08and be like, "Africa!"
0:50:08 > 0:50:11She would lift her head up and rumble
0:50:11 > 0:50:17and it was just... Just watching it, I could see the connection.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22I loved that elephant.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25There's something about her that I connected with.
0:50:25 > 0:50:29I liked the way she showed me her affection, she'd stand above me
0:50:29 > 0:50:32and I'm 6'3 and this elephant's standing
0:50:32 > 0:50:35and I'm looking up at the top, underneath her chin,
0:50:35 > 0:50:38when she's stood above me and she let me hug her neck
0:50:38 > 0:50:42and hug her and she just let me be around her.
0:50:42 > 0:50:45So that's what I loved most about her, she let me be around her.
0:50:49 > 0:50:52There's nothing better than being hugged by an elephant.
0:50:52 > 0:50:57It's just the most wonderful, warm... When they take their trunk
0:50:57 > 0:51:03and blow against your face and they wrap their trunk around you, it's fabulous. Wonderful.
0:51:03 > 0:51:09But those days are gone.
0:51:09 > 0:51:14If I could have worked elephants without all the brutality,
0:51:14 > 0:51:18oh, that would have been fabulous. Absolutely fabulous.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20And when I look back,
0:51:20 > 0:51:24I said I'm sure there's a special place in hell for me
0:51:24 > 0:51:28for what I did to the elephants, because that was what
0:51:28 > 0:51:33I was told I had to do to stay alive, to keep those elephants in line.
0:51:33 > 0:51:38But now I know that was all nonsense.
0:51:51 > 0:51:56I'm probably the most critical person of all of our place here.
0:51:56 > 0:51:58Because I don't drive through here and think,
0:51:58 > 0:52:00"Oh, how nice it is that they are eating grass".
0:52:00 > 0:52:03I drive through and think, "Why are they behind a fence?"
0:52:05 > 0:52:10You know, our philosophy is that elephants are not
0:52:10 > 0:52:13designed for captivity at all.
0:52:15 > 0:52:17And you can do what you can for them,
0:52:17 > 0:52:19but you'll never match what they should have
0:52:19 > 0:52:21if they were in the wild.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42People say, "What do you think went wrong? What went wrong?
0:52:42 > 0:52:45"Why did Tyke do such an unnatural thing?"
0:52:45 > 0:52:50That's the first natural thing that Tyke did in her life, was to run.
0:52:50 > 0:52:56She did it in Altoona, she injured people in North Dakota
0:52:56 > 0:53:01and finally in Hawaii, she acted like a real elephant and said,
0:53:01 > 0:53:04"I'm not supposed to be here. I'm tired,"
0:53:04 > 0:53:07and on that final day of her life,
0:53:07 > 0:53:09exhibited real elephant behaviour,
0:53:09 > 0:53:12and it didn't fit the streets of Hawaii.