Group Urges Citizens to Call On Circus World to Break Ties With Circus Charged With Violating Animal Welfare Law, Endangering the Public
For Immediate Release:
April 17, 2012
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Baraboo, Wis. — PETA has posted an action alert on its popular website asking visitors to urge the Circus World Museum and the Wisconsin Historical Society to follow the lead of the Arkansas National Guard and Washington and Lee University and not host the notorious Liebel Family Circus at Circus World again this summer. As PETA's website explains, circus owner Hugo Liebel—who brought an elephant, Nosey (also known as "Tiny" and "Peanut"), to Circus World last year—has an abysmal history of violating the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and, despite previously paying nearly $3,000 to settle violations of this law, now faces 33 new charges, including for allowing unsupervised public contact with Nosey, who attacked and sent a worker to the emergency room in 2004. Museum executives have so far failed to respond to PETA's multiple requests that Circus World prohibit hosting Liebel and other animal exhibitors who have been charged with violations of the AWA.
"No matter how many times he gets caught abusing animals and compromising public safety, Liebel continues to thumb his nose at the law," says PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Delcianna Winders. "PETA is asking people to urge Circus World not to support Liebel's repeated animal abuse and public endangerment."
The recent charges—which were filed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture following a series of complaints lodged by PETA—include the following:
- Keeping Nosey chained so tightly by two legs that she could barely move
- Leaving an unattended monkey chained to a pony for more than an hour
- Failing to give adequate veterinary care to Nosey, who has suffered for years from a condition that leaves "thickened layers of dead skin … with a dry, cracked appearance" on her legs, tail, back, sides, and face
- Allowing a spider monkey to escape and, according to a news report, not recovering him for nearly six weeks
For more information, please visit PETA.org.