To obtain the release of Maya the elephant from the circus who has flouted her basic needs, One Voice organizes a rally in front of the Prefecture of Agen, place de Verdun, November 18th, 2017 at 2.00 pm.
The prefect of Lot-et-Garonne
has until November 18th,
2017 to order the withdrawal of Maya from the circus that holds and a
veterinary expertise, which she refuses to do. She also refused to
receive representatives of the association who wanted to submit a new
report on the elephant.
It
is unacceptable that a State representative can treat an animal whose
health is deteriorating in such a way and while it should be
responsible for the animal’s well-being! Just take one look at her
feet, her nails, her left paw is paralyzed, her thinness, her skin
… Should we really add any more?
The
testimonials from veterinarians and expert Asian elephant ethologist
consultants – Lucy Bates, John Knight, and Joyce Pool – say that this
elephant is in a state of stress, pain and discomfort. They have even
mentioned euthanasia if she is not treated urgently, to relieve her
suffering, so much is so obvious: Maya is dying before our eyes.
The
courts have criticized One Voice, saying that these reports are based
on just a video: but the association has been asking for an
independent veterinary expertise for months. Why is this simple and
objective measure denied ? The veterinarians who have given
certificates to the court at the request of the Prefecture are
specialists only in cats, dogs, or reptiles! These professionals are
quite respectable but what do they know about elephants? What are
their qualifications for giving a review on Maya?
Maya
has spent more than 40 years in circuses. She is isolated from other
elephants, where an elephant needs social contact; she is forced to
spend her days there in confinement, where as a free elephant walks
up to several kilometres a day.
The
National Association of Veterinarians and the Federation of
Veterinary Syndicates of France (FSVF) confirmed that they are
following the advice of the Federation of European Veterinarians
(FVE) respectively to “promote the ban” and want a “strict
and definitive ban” of “the use of wild mammals in
itinerant circuses” and both confirm that the “conditions
under which animals are held cannot meet their physiological and
social needs“. So, what is the state waiting for? What is the
justice system waiting for?
The
judge did not want to offend the services of the Prefecture, the
Prefect does not want to go against the decision of the judge. We are
going around in circles while Maya’s health is in danger.
Circassians
seek to portray us as extremists, those of us whose sole purpose is
to save a very vulnerable animal from currently and which shows
obvious signs of physical and mental decay. For their part, circuses
deprive animals of their fundamental freedoms.
Civil
society also wants Maya to end her days in a sanctuary and not in the
trailer of a truck or chained up in a parking lot!
Muriel
Arnal, president of One Voice, says:
“Maya
needs urgent care. Winter is coming, we are terribly worried that she
will die in the truck, out of sight. If no action is taken to help
her, we will file a new appeal before the judge on Monday.“
The history of the battle for Maya: Articles and press releases
- An
historical announcement: In response to One Voice, the National
Veterinary Order condemns wild animal shows in traveling circuses and
legitimizes One Voice’s fight for their release – October 11th,
2017
- One
Voice at the Administrative Court of Bordeaux: Hearing on 17th
October 2017 to rule on the release of the Mayan elephant from the
circus holding it – 16th
October 2017