ISSUE NO. 1698
18 - 24 January 2018
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
COSTA BLANCA SOUTH
Lions, tigers, no fairs Circus gives up big cats to rescue centre Circo Paris has given three mistreated big cats to an Alicante rescue centre and pledged not to use wild animals in future performances, according to reports. The group is reportedly the third circus in a year to voluntarily deliver big cats to the Villena centre, which is the largest of its kind for exotic animals in southern Europe. Specialists from the recovery facility, who undertook the delivery in the Salinas de Villena mountain range - between Alicante, Albacete and Murcia - have expressed shock at the condition of two lions and a tiger. According to a report, the head of big cats for the facility, Pablo Delgado, said that the “painful conditions in which animals are present, especially the two lions, are something sadly common in circus rescues.” The cats’ claws had reportedly been removed - a relatively common practice in the industry - while their cage floors were so slippery they were unable to walk. One lion’s tail was also reportedly missing, and handlers are alleged to have not had the required qualifications to care
Photo by G1/Twitter
By Harrison Jones
TIRED: The animals had not been properly cared for.
INTO THE WILD: The circus has promised not to use wild animals in future for the animals. The new facility, Primadomus, is the Spanish headquarters of the AAP Foundation. It opened its 24 big cat enclosures in May 2016. On their website, the facility wrote: “due to its vast space and natural environment, the terrain is very suitable for permanent housing,” noting that some ani-
mals are impossible to relocate. Their move follows months of negotiations between officials from the circus also known as Circo Francia - the authorities and animal welfare organisations. Other animals previously with the circus - including a pony and bull - are reported to have been rehoused in other facilities.
Screwdriver attacker faces 9 years A BASKETBALLER is due in court accused of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a fellow player with a screwdriver, to turn a casual game into an ugly nightmare. The incident - which is alleged to have happened in Elche eight years ago - has left the attacker facing calls
for a nine year stint in prison. The prosecution say the victim suffered a pulmonary (lung) collapse following the September 2010 altercation, at a sports centre in Elche. Following a fight, the victim is alleged to have been stabbed in the side by the attacker.
According to a Spanish media report, they say the victim could have died if they had not received health care. The attacker was due in the Provincial Court of Alicante, in Elche, earlier this week, at a trial expected to last two days. Very few details are
known about the identity of the attacker or victim.
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