Circus: One Voice calls for the release of three elephants

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 !"