Please Help Nosey The Elephant

Since 2009, IDA has worked tirelessly on behalf of an elephant named Nosey, who suffers in a variety of travelling circuses at the hands of her exhibitor Hugo Liebel.

With your help, we have documented Nosey’s condition and numerous violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) as she was dragged around the country to give rides and perform tricks.

IDA members sent more than 18,000 letters and e-mails to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging the agency to help Nosey.

We reported a year ago that the USDA had finally filed charges against Liebel concerning numerous AWA violations for which Liebel had repeatedly been cited between 2007 and 2011. These included safe-handling violations that put Nosey and the public at risk, failure to provide adequate veterinary care, violations of food storage requirements, and unsafe and inadequate conditions in Nosey’s barn, enclosure, and trailer.

Liebel answered these serious charges with a rambling response blaming everyone but himself, without acknowledging any responsibility for the egregious violations. Given Liebel’s history, there is no indication he has any intention of improving his treatment of Nosey.

Liebel continues to haul Nosey around the country, jamming her into a tiny, foul trailer with other animals. Nosey also suffers from a persistent terrible skin condition and is constantly chained, except when giving rides or performing unnatural tricks.

A hearing is scheduled March 26 in Tampa, Florida on the USDA charges. This date was given to us by the Hearing Judge’s office but it has changed once and might change again.

Please help us ensure a positive outcome for Nosey

“Watch this video, the metal frame used to carry the public is put on top of a flimsy old thin rug, then winched into place; like they do with transport carriers, the safety belts are thrown over then manually, winched to tighten them! Can you imagine how that metal frame must dig into Nosey’s back? Her walking looks slow & laboured as if she is in pain from her joints etc. “

Liebel/Liebling Circus with Nosey the elephant in Haines City 

Uploaded on 27 Feb 2010

Liebel Bros Circus with Nosey ( AKA Tiny ) the elephant at the Studio C Dance Studio in Haines City , FL 2-27-2010 with Nosey AKA Tiny AKA Peanut owned by Hugo ( Tom ) Liebel AKA Hugo Bloom

Nosey The Elephant 

Published on 2 Oct 2012 – Wendy Michaels

1:14 little movie about NOSEY. On behalf of Nosey let USDA know how you feel:
JUDGE JANICE BULLARD 1-202-720-4443. 1-202-720-9776 (fax)
USDA atty COLLEEN CARROLL colleen.carroll@usda.gov

Please send a message to Colleen Carroll, who is prosecuting on behalf of the USDA. Thank Carroll for her work on this case and encourage her to press for the maximum available penalties. Please ask Carroll, in the event that Liebel is found to be in violation, to push for the maximum allowable amount of fines and termination of Liebel’s license to exhibit animals.

We don’t want to disrupt Attorney Carroll’s office with emails and faxes, so we’re asking you to please take an extra few minutes to mail her a hard-copy letter instead. Below is a sample letter. Please personalize that model letter or compose your own similar letter and mail to:

Colleen Carroll, Esq.
Office of General Counsel
US Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20250-1400

Sample letter:

Dear Attorney Carroll:

As a supporter of In Defense of Animals (IDA), I am very concerned about the plight of Nosey the elephant, who has been exhibited around the country by Hugo Liebel. Liebel is charged with numerous substantial, wilful violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including repeated non-compliance with veterinary care, handling, housing, and husbandry requirements from 2007 to 2011. If Liebel is found to be in violation on these charges, I urge you to press for the maximum allowable sanctions.

I would also like to express my gratitude for your work on this case to date, particularly your decision to pursue serious charges against Liebel.

The violations charged in the complaint are, as you point out, substantial, and many of them are repeated violations for which Liebel has previously been cited. Many of the violations are allegedly wilful  His documented lengthy record compels the conclusion that Liebel is either unable or unwilling to comply with the laws and regulations put into place to protect exhibited animals and the public.

Therefore, I urge you, in the event that Liebel is found to be in violation on these charges, to press for the maximum allowable sanctions, including the highest possible amount in fines and termination of Liebel’s license to exhibit animals. I see no other way of ensuring the safety of Nosey, the surviving monkey, and any other animals who Liebel could acquire for exhibition.

Again, thank you for your efforts and attention to this serious matter.

Sincerely,

News Link:-http://ida.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=26641.0&printer_friendly=1

Breaking News – Hope For Nosey!

January 13th, 2012 |  Author: Deborah Robinson

Breaking news – NOSEY: Following many complaints by IDA over the past several years regarding Nosey, the USDA  has filed a Complaint against Nosey’s exhibitor Hugo Liebel alleging numerous willful violations of the Animal Welfare Act. These include repeated noncompliance with the veterinary care, handling, housing and husbandry requirements: in all, some 25 violations over a period from early 2007 to early 2011. These are grave violations, the possible penalties for which include fines and suspension or revocation of Liebel’s license to exhibit animals.

IDA will continue to monitor Nosey’s ongoing care.

For more information about IDA’s work on elephants in circuses, go to www.helpelephants.com.

To support IDA – In Defense of Animals, work please click here.

 http://www.idablog.org/featured/breaking-news-hope-for-nosey/

News Link:-http://asianelephantstoday.com/2012/01/13/ida-new-hope-for-nosey-the-circus-elephant/

“Don’t let Nosey suffer another 10 years of tricks & rides! She needs to be moved now so she can enjoy the rest of her natural life, at PAWS Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee; living as an elephant should…walking freely with other elephants…without shackles…without pain!”

Please sign this petition:–http://www.change.org/petitions/confiscate-nosey-the-elephant-from-the-traveling-circus?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=url_share&utm_campaign=url_share_before_sign

After mountain lion killed, Santa Monica making plans for next time

SANTA MONICA – Under sharp criticism for killing a mountain lion that appeared near the Third Street Promenade last month, the Santa Monica Police Department says it is developing a plan for how to deal with the next wild and cranky feline that shows up uninvited.

“Due to the fact that there are no reported instances in recent history (30 plus years) regarding a mountain lion within the city limits, the Santa Monica Police Department is formulating a unique approach to address the concerns associated with this unusual occurrence,” Santa Monica police Sgt. Richard Lewis said in a statement.

Department members will meet later this month with representatives from the California Department of Fish and Game, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, In Defense of Animals, the Pacific Institute for Restoration Ecology, Cal State Channel Islands and veterinarians who specialize in large animals, he said.

The purpose of the meeting will be “to explore viable alternatives in an effort to prepare for any future incident,” according to Lewis.

News Link:-http://www.ocregister.com/news/monica-357993-department-lion.html

Rally held in Santa Monica in protest of fatal shooting of mountain lion

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC)

The killing of a mountain lion by Santa Monica Police last week has generated anger and outrage among many animal lovers. A demonstration was held outside Santa Monica City Hall Wednesday afternoon.

“We are here today to prevent animals from being needlessly killed in the future,” said Mary Cummins, president of Animal Advocates.

A call to action from animal advocates upset over last week’s shooting death of a mountain lion that wandered into the urban jungle of Santa Monica.

“We are outraged and fed up with the violence and so are others here and around the world,” said Bill Dyer, director of Southern California In Defense of Animals.

Santa Monica Police and officials with the California Department of Fish and Game responded to the scene last week when a 3-year-old male mountain lion wandered into a courtyard of a building in Santa Monica.

They say they tried to subdue the cat with fire hoses and pepper-balls, but ended up euthanizing the animal after it continued to charge in an effort to get away.

Animal advocates said the mountain lion didn’t need to die. Now they want the Santa Monica Police Dept. to create a new protocol that would bring in local wildlife experts like Dr. Jennifer Conrad. The Santa Monica-based veterinarian says she’s anesthetized some 500 cats over the last several years.

“My call is for the police department and for the Department of Fish and Game to use the resources that you have living in this big city and let us help you. We can do it. And then wildlife doesn’t have to die because of the misfortune of winding up in one of our cities,” said Conrad.

Santa Monica Police did not immediately comment on the news conference held by the animal rights groups outside of City Hall.

In earlier released statements, police insisted they had no choice but to shoot the animal because the mountain lion could have run in the direction of the heavily populated streets nearby.

Santa Monica police officers did try to anesthetize the mountain lion, but animal activists say they didn’t wait long enough for it to work.

Video Link:–video?id=8682910&pid=8682908

News Link:–http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=8682908

Death Of Elephant Calf At Memphis Zoo Prompts Call To End Breeding

Mother carrying dead fetus may also be at risk of death

San Rafael, Calif. (March 22, 2012) — In Defense of Animals (IDA) is calling for an end to elephant breeding, starting at the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee, following the in utero death of an elephant calf. The calf is still being carried by the mother and may threaten her life. Gina, a 29-year-old African elephant, was due to deliver in August. This would have been the second birth at the zoo. The first, in 2009, ended in tragedy when mother Asali killed her one-day-old calf.

For Reference only

“Inadequate conditions for elephants in zoos, including lack of space for movement, contribute to high rates of birth complications and, too often, the death of the mother,” said IDA Elephant Campaign Director Catherine Doyle. “We sincerely hope that Gina does not also lose her life due to the irresponsible and inhumane practice of breeding elephants in zoos.”

At least four elephants in U.S. zoos died after the in utero deaths of their calves, some due to massive infection: Babe at the Ft. Worth Zoo, Ibala at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Tika at Six Flags-Vallejo, and Ruby at the Phoenix Zoo.

Since 2000, at least 25 elephant pregnancies have ended in stillbirth or other complications, including death of calf during labor, euthanasia of premature calf, failure to thrive, death of mother, and infanticide. The infant mortality rate for elephants in U.S. zoos (ages 0-1) is four times higher than that of documented free-ranging populations in Africa and Asia.

Elephant experts believe that lack of exercise and physical fitness, stress, and excessive weight gain contribute to captive elephants’ inability to successfully give birth to calves. Adverse birthing conditions, including the routine isolation and chaining of laboring elephants at most zoos, may also contribute to the problem.

Elephants in zoos endure a host of problems seen only in captivity, such as high rates of birth complications and infant mortality, infertility, abnormal repetitive behaviors, and deadly conditions including crippling arthritis and foot disease. A study in the journal Science found that elephants in zoos die far younger than those in wild populations.

“Breeding elephants in zoos has nothing to do with conservation because no calf born in a zoo will ever be returned to the wild,” stated Doyle. “Continuing this dangerous practice puts elephant lives at serious risk.”

For more information, please visit www.helpelephants.com.

Contact: Catherine Doyle, 323-301-5730, Catherine@idausa.org

Help Elephants (IDA) – Top Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants – 2011

2011 Top Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants

In Defense Of Animals Releases 2011 “Ten Worst Zoos For Elephants” List.

San Rafael, Calif. (January 16, 2012) – The 2011 list of the Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants, released today by In Defense of Animals (IDA), once again exposes the hidden suffering of elephants in zoos, where lack of space, unsuitably cold climates and unnatural conditions condemn Earth’s largest land mammals to lifetimes of deprivation, disease and early death. The list is in its eighth year.

A promising trend toward the closure of inadequate elephant displays continued in 2011 and includes zoos that have appeared on IDA’s annual list. The most recent are the Central Florida Zoo and the Southwick’s Zoo (Mass.). The Toronto Zoo’s appearance on the 2009 list sparked a campaign that has led to the closure of that exhibit in 2012. This brings the number of zoos that have closed or will close their elephant exhibits to 22, and zoo experts report that the number is expected to rise.

via Help Elephants (IDA) – Top Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants – 2011.

In Defense of Animals

In Defense of Animals.

http://www.cardsdirect.com/ida.aspx

A great place to buy greeting cards whilst helping save the animals.