Union says firefighters forced to bathe elephant

[Liberal_in_LA]

Oh, the humanity!!!

A firefighters union says a New York City engine company had to close its firehouse for 30 minutes to bathe a circus elephant on city orders.

The Uniformed Firefighters Association says Brooklyn's Engine Company 245 didn't want to participate in the photo opportunity with circus elephant Suzie, part of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show in Coney Island. But it says city officials ordered the engine company to participate.

The firehouse closed Wednesday while four firefighters and an officer went to scrub Suzie. About 10 firefighters stayed behind.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/03/national/a153822D35.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0Q5gVfRQj