© Animal Defenders International
Anne’s condition has improved enormously in the past few months. Her arthritis medication has improved her mobility and her activity around the enclosure is much improved. She plays
ADI & NAVS
in a small pool and dustbathes in a sand heap. This, together with regular brushing and bathing by keepers, has improved her skin enormously. Whereas before, she was chained to one spot 24 hours a day in the winter quarters, Longleat assures everyone that Anne is now only chained for veterinary and skin care – about 30 minutes a day. It was acknowledged from the outset that facilities at Longleat are rudimentary – they have not held elephants for over a decade and the building is outdated. Anne has a basic paddock and night quarters which are shared with a rhino; so the animals must take turns in using the outdoor facilities. Our greatest concern is that she is still alone and remains on public display; it’s not the kind of retirement that we would have chosen for her. We will continue to monitor Anne’s progress as well as Longleat’s plans for her, as we are cognisant that she has brought the Park huge donations and increased visitors, which will surely be a factor for a commercial operation when considering her permanent home. For now, the sun on her back, a few logs, a shallow pool, a sandpit, and freedom to move must be a welcome break for her. ADI’s legal team has assembled a file and laid charges for the prosecution of Moira and Bobby Roberts under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. An initial hearing of the case is expected by the end of the year.
EXPOSED!
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Anne, with Bobby Roberts Super Circus in 2002.
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More than a year after the catastrophic BP oil spill in the gulf of Mexico, studies show that the mortality rate for dolphins, narwhals, whales and turtles are still about 50% higher than normal, as evidenced by the bodies of animals found on shore. A restaurant in Los Angeles painted a donkey pink as a publicity stunt to increase business for Cinco de Mayo; instead of improving business, protesters organised a boycott. Rhinos have a new saviour in a treatment for their horns that is harmless to them, but affects anyone that consumes it. The treatment is a mixture of drugs normally used to kill parasites living on the surface of the host, and has been developed by the Rhino and Lion Reserve in Kromdraai, north-west of Johannesburg. It is not lethal to humans, but causes unpleasant symptoms. Added to the mixture is a neon pink indelible dye that shows up on X-ray scanners at airports. Sarah, a sick 54-year old elephant at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus collapsed while attempting to climb the ramp up to the train after the last performance in Anaheim, California. ADI has filed a complaint with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) demanding an investigation of the incident in August, supported by several witness statements. The complaint seeks the seizure and retirement of Sarah from the circus.
© A. Sanghvi
© Animal Defenders International
Campaign News
The Animal Defender & Campaigner
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Autumn/Winter 2011
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