After listening to almost two hours of public comment including 35 speakers, the Nevada County Fairgrounds Board of Directors has decided to keep the contract they originally put in place with Have Trunk Will Travel to provide live Elephant Rides as part of the Nevada County Fair August 7 through 11.
Controversy arose when animal rights groups including Grass Valley’s Center for Animal Protection and Education and Animal Defenders International discovered an agreement was in place between the Fairgrounds Board and Have Trunk Will Travel. The Center for Animal Protection and Education and Animal Defenders International claim that Have Trunk Will Travel is abusive to its elephants while training them in Southern California.
Following the public comment portion of the agenda item where 26 spoke against bringing the elephants to the fair and nine spoke in favor of allowing them, Board President, Thomas Browning asked the Board if they had any comments. No board members responded. Hearing no comments from the Board, Browning announced that the contract would remain in place.