Circus: One Voice calls for the release of three elephants

Circus: One Voice calls for the release of three elephants
28.08.2017
France
Circus: One Voice calls for the release of three elephants
Exploitation for shows

A female model body painted in the style of a tiger, which is the emblem of One Voice, will be in Vannes Tuesday, August 29th at 10:30 in front of the circus of Saint Petersburg to demand the release of the elephants Lechmee, Mina and Kamala. The situation is particularly dramatic for Lechmee, who is blind and lame and cannot eat without the help of her companions and who does not participate in the shows

Lechmee, Mina and Kamala were born in Asia in the 60s. They were torn from their family as infants and bought by the Tyseley Pet Stores. Once in Britain, they were sold to the Chipperfield circus and then to the Medrano group. For almost half a century now, these three elephants have suffered the spikes and screams from their trainer, the cries of the crowd. Confined to cramped trucks where they are transported for hours, one city to another. This treatment made Lechmee lose the use of his right front foot. Walking on the asphalt or the metal floor of the truck accentuates her pain with every step. It is a real handicap more so for an old elephant, whose blindness is already a heavy handicap. One Voice filmed Mina helping her to feed herself because she is no longer able to do it alone, and she has not been involved in shows for a long time. Mina and Kamala, despite their advanced age and their blatant fatigue are still forced to perform.

Dr. Pierre Gallego, a wildlife veterinarian and consultant for One Voice, described Lechmee’s case as proven abuse and found that the three elephants of this circus were in a state of physiological misery. According to him, it is “imperative to get them out of the circus to offer them a retreat in an environment adapted to their species. In addition, it is necessary to plan to keep these three elephants together because they have forged very important social links that depend on their survival.”

A simple application of the decree of 18^th March 2011, would require that Lechmee be placed in a fixed residence, given her state of health. But it is unthinkable to separate her from her companions. One Voice has already initiated several proceedings to release them: a request for interim release, based on the violation of their fundamental rights and the referral of the Comptroller General of Places of Deprivation of Liberty, procedures usually reserved for humans. The association also requested the cancellation for the authorization of the owner to open shows for the three elephants and made an application for an interim suspension. One Voice also called on the Ministers of Agriculture and Environment to rescind the 2011 decree, which would prohibit the detention of wild animals in circuses, as which has already happened in 8 countries in Europe, 20 countries in the world, and 66 cities in France.

Muriel Arnal, founding president of One Voice says, “The ordeal that Lechmee, Mina and Kamala are going through is unbearable. Their case must be taken into consideration without delay. How long will Lechmee manage to endure so much suffering, physical and mental? With this action in front of the circus that holds them, we want to make known their fate to a large audience to support our request. It is urgent to free these three elephants!”

“Animals in circuses represent the domination and oppression we have fought for so long, and they wear the same chains and irons”.

Dick Gregory, comedian and civil rights activist, Martin Luther King’s wrestling companion, who died on August 20^th, 2017.

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Freedom for Jumbo, a hippo prisoner of the circus!

Freedom for Jumbo, a hippo prisoner of the circus!
14.08.2017
France
Freedom for Jumbo, a hippo prisoner of the circus!
Exploitation for shows

At the last minute: the hearing is postponed until August 28 at 11:00am, the circus will present its arguments.

On August 17, seized by the association of One Voice, the judge of the summary of the Administrative Court of Grenoble will examine the case of the hippopotamus Jumbo.

For 30 years, this amphibious hippopotamus, which was made for a semi-aquatic life, is confined to a truck, deprived of any social contact with its fellow hippo’s and its natural environment, including bathing to relieve its body and joints from its own weight. It is only half an hour a day free from its trailer to be sprayed with water from a hose, malnourished and exposed to onlookers. Jumbo is being held in unacceptable and illegal conditions, especially since he does not take part in the shows.

A legal battle

Earlier in the year, One Voice’s request to cancel the opening proceedings which were rejected by the Valencia prefecture, which considered that the circus offered conditions of captivity in accordance with the regulations in force (the decree of March 18, 2011 sets conditions for the detention and use of animals in itinerant establishments). This assessment is erroneous according to One Voice, because the decree provides that animals can meet their biological and behavioural needs, and that they participate in the show. None of these criteria are met for Jumbo.

International experts mobilized

In a report issued in 1997 at the request of the Vienna Environmental Commissioner, three leading Austrian experts – Dr. Gsandter, Pechlaner and Schwammer – noted that the hippopotamus is « particularly suited for life in and around the water, to which he must have continuous access. The water point that hippopotamuses have must be deep enough for them to fully immerse themselves. Keeping them captive in pools that are too small or too shallow for too long causes joint damage. Only permanent pens can satisfy the conditions mentioned above. In addition, hippopotamuses are gregarious animals that live in groups […]. That’s why keeping hippos in captivity in circuses is totally unacceptable! ».

In March 2017, Dr. Pierre Gallego, specialist veterinarian and consultant of One Voice, made several observations of Jumbo in situ, noting that he is « fed after the show during the 30 minutes of his release. It is an extremely short time to exercise outside the trailer and to feed yourself. He is fed with hay and horse pellets, and therefore does not have access to fresh grass which is his staple food in the wild. There is no more enrichment that allows Jumbo to have a natural behaviour, even to take care of himself or to move about […] sufficiently, neither to take baths as is necessary for his species. […] In addition, the frequent transportation in trailers between the various show sites represents significant stress for this animal, which is added to the stress of being exposed to the circus visitors during the only time during which he has access to the outside of the trailer. »

For Muriel Arnal, president of One Voice, there is urgency: « We must save Jumbo! We have timed the exits to which he is entitled, he remains locked in a dark trailer 23.5 hours out of 24 without permanent access to water or participation in any performance. For an
amphibian and gregarious animal, it’s not a life! We demand respect for the physiological needs of Jumbo, as provided by law, and his release. We will ensure his transfer and his welcome into a partner sanctuary which will finally offer him dignified living conditions. »

One Voice also denounces the illegality of the 2011 decree, which allows to keep captive wild animals in circuses when precisely they cannot express their natural behaviour.

According to the association, perpetuating such exploitation also jeopardizes the work of raising awareness about the respect and protection of endangered species.

The circus of yesteryear, which heavily exploits animals for unnatural shows, is in decline. Many mayors of France refuse that such companies deploy their marquee in the communal territory, unlike modern troops, offering attractions without cruelty. In large countries (United States, India, Australia, Brazil …), total or partial bans (depending on the species) have been enacted. In the European Union, 20 member countries have already taken similar measures. One Voice is fighting for France to be 21st.

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Dolphinariums: the industry attacks protective measures, One Voice fights back!

Dolphinariums: the industry attacks protective measures, One Voice fights back!
27.07.2017
France
Dolphinariums: the industry attacks protective measures, One Voice fights back!
Exploitation for shows

The decree taken on May 7^th by the Ministry of the Environment, under the authority of Ségolène Royal, is today attacked before the State Council by the dolphinariums, represented by Marineland Antibes (06), Parc Astérix of Plailly (60) and Planète Sauvage of Port-Saint-Père (44). This action for annulment is doubled by a request for the suspension of the decree, to be judged by the State Council this Monday, July 31^st at 10:30 am. In summary, this is to obtain a stay on the implementation of measures to improve the conditions of detention of captive cetaceans ..

False arguments

Remember that the decree in question prohibits the possession of any new cetacean from November 7^th and requires changes in the operating conditions for the animals currently held. The owners will argue that these developments (especially the work to enlarge the pools, to be carried out in under 3 years) are too expensive, and if they can be written off just for the life of the few individuals that are already captive. A curious argument from those who claim to have the welfare of cetaceans at the heart of their concerns: the average life expectancy of 20 years lent to the cetaceans concerned is fully compatible with the depreciation value of the work prescribed, particularly in relation to the profit generated by this activity each year.

For One Voice and all the scientific experts working with them, the arguments put forward today by dolphinariums in their actions for an appeal are misleading. To argue that the prohibition of reproductions planned in the context of trade is detrimental to the welfare of dolphins is debatable, even more so by establishments where commercial logic dominates all.

Numerous scientific reports, notably those provided by One Voice to the Ministry, attest that captivity is inherently harmful to the welfare of cetaceans. Cetaceans are made for the open sea and not for concrete ponds. For the association, to see today the marine parks setting themselves up as defenders of the happy sexuality of these captives (if they produce new prisoners, these subjects of attraction), really leaves one wondering.

Voices of the many begin to rise

A world-renowned marine biologist and expert, Dr. Naomi Rose said: “Contrary to industry’s claims, this reproductive ban will not have a significant impact on dolphin welfare – which could even improve. Many centres are already regulating conceptions by separating male and female individuals during their favourable hormonal cycles, checking the levels of hormones in the urine of
female dolphins every morning. Without having to physically bear a pregnancy and birth, and without the psychological threat of seeing her new-born die early in an unsuitable concrete pool. These dolphins might even be less stressed than they are now. Is it necessary to
recall that captivity already deprives cetaceans of many natural behaviours, in particular their ability to swim in a straight line
over long distances, much greater than just a few strokes of the tail. To be able to dive deep, beyond just a few meters, to hunt and
to feed oneself. It is no coincidence that the industry talks about dolphin abuse only and not about their ability to produce more exploitable captive dolphins.  »

A lawyer for the rights of animals, legal consultant for One Voice, Arielle Moreau adds: « The dolphinariums want to continue to enjoy an absolute property right on these beings and be able to make them work as they please, to exchange them, to control their sexuality and their motherhood, to dispose of their babies and their children at will, without any regard for their desires and needs. They are in denial of their needs and their nature because for them, orcas and dolphins belong to them they are deprived of their own existence and exist only to serve the interests of these commercial companies. Dolphins and orcas are autonomous individuals, highly intelligent and sensitive, they have the right to be protected and recognized as a person.  »

Other voices are added to the concert of oppositions to the recourse of the captive industry: John Hargrove, 14 years as a specialized healer, former head of the Orques Marineland Antibes, brings all his support and experience, the suffering experienced by cetaceans in captivity.
The testimony given to One Voice by this American specialist, reminds all those interested of the current regulatory framework: « There is no ecological or conservation reason to breed dolphins in captivity and none of those that have been bred in Marineland have been released to repopulate the oceans. This clearly underlines the commercial motivations of the Marineland operation, at a time when the park is trying to evade by all means of the new regulations, which ultimately means the end of the cruel suffering endured by these captive animals. Thank you to everyone in France who fought for such legislation. You are now spearheading the fight that has resumed in other countries, including the United States.  »

Finally, Dr. Pierre Gallego, veterinarian-consultant, brings his medical point of view to the record: « Dolphins are extremely intelligent animals that have a very complex social life and hunting techniques that are extremely elaborate. All of these behaviours cannot be accomplished in captivity. In addition, the pools are totally bare, there is no sand, no rocks, no algae, no fish, and the water is chlorinated. Not to mention the depth of the pools which is at the maximum of 5-7 meters, which gives them no opportunity to behave naturally. In addition, captive groups are formed by park managers, which creates synthetic groups, whereas in nature groups are made and disbanded according to the social structure of Tursiops described as fusion / fission. These synthetic groups are frozen and individuals have no opportunity to avoid each other in cases of aggression, which is quite common among dolphins. The result from this is tremendous stress that can lead to gastric ulcers and other health problems, not to mention the wounds dolphins can inflict on themselves and each other, while in nature this could be avoided.  »

For all these reasons, One Voice, the French representative of the Dolphinaria-Free Europe coalition, calls on the political and judicial authorities not to question the latest texts regulating this commercial activity. Recalling that controlled reproduction in the pools, by contraceptive means or the management of groups, should only serve the expression of a natural sexuality among the prisoners, not to perpetuate the exploitation of generations of captives in a totally dehumanized logic of financial accounting.

The ministerial decree of May 7^th, 2017 gave the dolphins and orcas currently captive real hopes: that of seeing their living conditions substantially improved and especially that of being the last of their species to live in France in this unbearable detention. Ethics, common sense and humanity must continue to prevail over commercial logic.

President of One Voice, Muriel Arnal says: « We are surprised at the sudden urgency invoked by the industry and the timing of these recourses … in the middle of summer. The ministerial decree of May 7^th gives priority to the dignity of sentient beings endowed with cultures and languages, over the economic interests. It must be above all maintained. By putting an end to family rifts and mourning the
deaths related to breeding programs, this text will improve the living conditions of dolphins and orcas. And these will be the last detainees in France, so badly deprived of freedom and their fundamental rights. Ethics, common sense and humanity must continue to prevail over commercial logic.  »

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