The torture of Maya

A day will come when the spectacle of the elephants being exploited in the circuses will be a thing of the past. A period when pachyderms were torn from their native lands to be seen writhing on stools under the cheers of the crowd. Unfortunately, this period is not yet over. In France, the law still allows these practices from another age.

This is the proof from the latest investigation by One Voice alerted to the plight of Maya, a 54-year-old Asian elephant held by a provincial circus. The report is terrifying, as evidenced by the full report (in french – read here and spread this news as widely as possible).

From her place of detention to the circus ring, the animal endures a real ordeal of a multitude of violations regardless of the enforced regulations (1). In her pen, no comfort just a tarred floor dripping in urine and a thin layer of straw litter, the bare minimum. No place either to hide from prying eyes or from noise when she seeks peace and quiet. Only a resemblance of an awning protects her from bad weather. To occupy her long and laborious days, no source of distraction or stimulation. She only has fodder which she feeds on excessively.

When it’s her time, Maya appears exhausted under the tent, slow and tired. Like a sleepwalker, she executes the orders of the trainer like a robot, sometimes with half-closed eyes, and the depth of her distress can be measured.

When will her agony end? When will the cause of elephant-slavery be taken into account? When will we finally break the chains of these great sages whose intelligence and extreme sensitivity should rather serve as an example? Animal persons have fundamental rights that we must respect, to begin with, their dignity.

Besides that, beyond the suffering they endure, the pachyderms are wild animals, so also dangerous. In the case of Maya, as in many others, security measures to protect the audience are insufficient or even non-existent! Unusual stresses? The elephant may very well involuntarily move over to the side of the audience, and could possibly fall on them crushing them under her weight. In addition, close contact with the crowd also entails the risk of Zoonosis for both her and humans present.

More than ever, One Voice is committed to changing attitudes and working with the public authorities. Already, our association has undertaken on May 12th a judicial procedure to obtain the release of the elephant and its transfer to a sanctuary. We have also made a complaint to the Head Inspector of Freedom Deprivation Centres. This approach, usually reserved for humans, is also fully justified by the conditions of detention of this animal person Maya. In the long run, it is all captive wild animals that we intend to save from these deadly exhibitions. To support our request, sign and share our petition online!

(1) Order of 18th March 2011 laying down conditions for the keeping and use of live animals of non-domestic species in traveling theatres.