Too many times an elephant in a zoo or circus dies, with no acknowledgement at all. It’s as if she or he never existed. So with this blog IDA marks the passing of 29-year-old Dolly, who performed for nearly her entire life with Jorge and Louann Barreda’s circus act. Her companions Lou, Makia and Lovey, [...]
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 [...]
Most of the smaller circuses are now in their brief winter break, a good time for an update on some of the elephants we’ve been watching closely this circus season, with your invaluable assistance NOSEY: After several years of touring with Piccadilly Circus, Nosey’s “owner” Hugo Liebel left the circus after a reported falling out [...]
In a great win for elephants, the Toronto City Council voted to send the Toronto Zoo’s African elephants, Thika, Iringa and Toka, to the PAWS Sanctuary in Northern California. The council voted in May to close the zoo’s elephant exhibit, but decided to send the elephants to another zoo and not to a sanctuary—though a [...]
Seems like IDA has mostly been urging people to avoid movies this year because of the use of elephants and other wild animals who are cruelly trained and confined. But here’s an award-winning film about wild animals that we highly recommend: The Elephant In The Living Room. (Note: There are no elephants in the film [...]
Saturday, June 11, is the International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos, when activists around the world will be sending a message that elephants just don’t belong in cramped, unnatural displays that shorten their lives by decades. This year, everyone can help the elephants, no matter where you live, by participating in a virtual [...]
In a great win, the Fulton County Commission in Georgia voted 4-1 to ban the use of bullhooks on elephants. The ordinance covers unincorporated south Fulton, and it would apply primarily to smaller circuses that visit the area, effectively stopping them from using elephants in performances and rides. Unfortunately, it does not stop the use [...]
This year’s International Day of Action for Elephants in Zoos (IDAEZ) – on Saturday, June 11 – is quickly approaching. IDA is pleased that Lily Tomlin is again supporting this global event and the actions of advocates around the world who will hold outreach events and demonstrations to educate the public about the tragic affects [...]
Sara Gruen’s book, Water for Elephants, was a runaway best seller – an internationally acclaimed novel told as the reminiscences of an old man, Jacob, about his experiences with a Depression-era circus where he witnessed the brutalities inflicted on people and animals alike. Jacob is the moral center of the book, recognizing and, where possible, [...]
City to determine elephants’ fate at Wednesday meeting… On Wednesday, January 26th, the City of Barcelona will decide the fate of suffering African elephants Susi and Yoyo, who are held in a tiny exhibit at the Barcelona Zoo in Spain. The mayor and city lawmakers will consider whether to send the elephants to a larger [...]