Elephant Rides at Medieval Fair Appear to Violate Law
PETA Files Complaint With Authorities Over Exhibition of Ailing Elephant
For Immediate Release:
July 13, 2016
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
This morning, PETA rushed a complaint to Trumbull Township authorities urging them to end the elephant rides currently offered at the Great Lakes Medieval Faire. In the letter, PETA notes that Trumbull Township zoning regulations prohibit “dangerous pets”—and not only does Ohio law list elephants as a “dangerous wild animal,” Nosey, the elephant used for the fair, also has a history of dangerous incidents. She once threw a handler to the ground with her tusk, sending him to the hospital with a head injury, which resulted in a federal fine.
“Captive elephants are denied everything that’s natural and important to them, so it can be only a matter of time before they lash out in frustration,” says PETA Foundation Associate Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Rachel Mathews. “A fair is no place for a suffering elephant, and PETA is calling on Trumbull Township authorities to put an end to these dangerous and apparently illegal rides.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—notes that Hugo Liebel has forced Nosey to perform grueling tricks and give rides for decades despite showing signs of painful, crippling arthritis. PETA has persuaded venues to cancel Nosey’s performances and has worked with elephant experts, engaged members of Congress, and gathered celebrity support in favor of her release to an accredited sanctuary where her needs can be properly met.
PETA also notes that Liebel’s appearance at the fair appears to violate Trumbull Township’s transient vendor restrictions, which prohibit sound amplification devices, shouting, and having more than one motor vehicle or trailer at the temporary place of business—all of which occur during Liebel’s circus acts.
PETA’s letter to Trumbull Township authorities is available upon request. For more information, please visit PETA.org.
