Ailing Elephant Max is retired from Circus Sydney to avoid pressure and controversy

by catlady Mon Sep 25, 2006 19:41

The park in question has confirmed to the Ispca that max is to stay there for good - see their site. Clearly someone is telling lies here, but I seriously doubt it is AFAR. Were Max to be returned to Courtneys they would be the first to get right back in there to help him. Check out what this lot (circus) have been saying lately on a recent post regarding a demo in Galway and tell me you trust them! More fool you if you do.

by AFAR Lies Again Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:32

Subject: The Dublin People Group of Newspapers - Circus denies Max's retirement

Circus denies Max’s retirement - 29/8/06

The elephant at the centre of an alleged cruelty controversy has not been retired from performing, his owners said this week. It had been claimed by animal rights activists that Max, a male African elephant, had been retired after they protested when the circus pulled into Booterstown to perform earlier this month.

The Alliance for Animal Rights and the Captive Animals Protection Society had accused Circus Sydney of animal cruelty by making the elephant perform while apparently suffering with a malformed hind leg.

Local gardai were called in to examine the elephant and confirmed that they were investigating claims of animal cruelty.

However, a Garda spokesman said that it was his belief that the elephant had not suffered injuries through any ill treatment.

Circus Sydney vehemently denied any cruelty to the elephant and said that claims made against it by animal rights activists were “outrageous”.

Jan Erik Brenner, a spokesman for Circus Sydney, told Southside People earlier this month that the elephant was in no pain or distress and that he had the leg malformation since birth.

“The true facts are that this elephant was starved of proper nutrition when nursed by his mother at birth and subsequently developed a malformed foot,” Mr Brenner said.

“However, I can honestly tell you that this elephant is in no pain. He is regularly checked by vets, as he was while we performed in Booterstown which again confirmed that he is in no pain or distress.”

Mr Brenner said that the circus had paid e4,000 to have a special shoe made for the elephant in Hungary, in an effort to improve his balance.

“The elephant just refuses to wear it and prefers to remain as he is. We do everything we can in the best interests our animals. This elephant is not just a pet, he is a family member,” he said.

DSPCA officials received a public undertaking from the circus that the elephant would be taken for an x-ray of the leg at UCD Veterinary Hospital on Tuesday, August 22.

However, it was claimed late last week that the elephant had been put out to retire at an animal safari style park in Hanover, Germany.

spokes­person for the Alliance of Animal Rights, told Southside People that she believed the elephant had been retired from the circus.

“No longer will he have to do stupid tricks again or be chained, bored or distressed in the circus,” Ms Wright said.

Mr Jan Erik Brenner confirmed that the elephant has been removed to the park in Germany but denied that it had been because of animal rights activists’ activities.

“It was always intended that the elephant would go to this park by the end of the summer,” Mr Brenner said. “We expect the elephant to be at the park for the next 18 months for mating purposes but he has not been retired from the circus on the basis of any protests.”

by cool j Tue Aug 29, 2006 04:30

Well done Bernie and all your collegues who made this happen!! - Hopefully some day soon circuss's which use exotic/wild animals as cheap entertainment will be viewed in a similar light to activities such as cock-fighting and badger baiting ie - wholly unacceptable!!!

by Sheepstealer Mon Aug 28, 2006 22:14

Comhghairdeas libh! Congratulations to all who highlighted the plight of the circus animals and, in particular, the case of "Max" the African Elephant. It is only due to your hard campaigning and the pressure that animal rights activists put on 'Circus Sydney' that he can now live out his days free from the threat of the whip, and his life of performing idiotic acts, for idiotic people, has come to an end, buíochas le Dia!

In my opinion, anyone who brings their children to an animal circus is supporting and applauding animal cruelty. I have zero tolerance for such people. Circuses are no place for wild animals and no animal should live a life constantly in fear of being whipped. As I've stated before, circuses should only contain human beings performing idiotic acts, as at least human beings have the choice and don't have to do so under threat of being whipped every night, but animals have not the luxury of choice, and they have to be coerced into performing these boring, repetitive, idiotic and unnatural acts night after night.

Legislation should be brought in to ban animal circuses in Ireland altogether, it is a disgrace that there is no such legislation to safeguard these wild animals from a life of cruelty, spent for the most part in small cages in the back of trucks - how can people think that this is acceptable in this age?

Many thanks to all for highlighting this.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir. Táim buíoch daoibh.

by . Fri Aug 25, 2006 01:25

more than likely they sent him off to a circus in germany