Hohenwald, TN--(June 23) Lota, a circus elephant that has
been the focus of three lawsuits, the inspiration for an international
petition for her release and responsible for raising awareness of the
plight of captive elephants, will finally be released to the Elephant
Sanctuary in Tennessee.
Earlier this year a lawsuit was brought by the United
States Department of Agriculture against the Illinois-based Hawthorn
Corporation, the company that owns LOTA. In the suit, the Hawthorn
Corporation, a company which trains and rents elephants for circuses, was
charged with numerous counts of cruelty and neglect of its 16 circus
elephants. As a result, John Cuneo, owner of the Hawthorn Corporation,
agreed to relinquish his 16 elephants by August 15th to facilities
approved by the USDA�s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The USDA has asked The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee to
accept six of the Hawthorn 16. The Sanctuary has immediate barn space for
two, Lota and Misty; both suffer from tuberculosis and require special
facilities separate from other elephants for the duration of their six
month treatments. Additionally, the Sanctuary has secured temporary
housing for four more Hawthorn elephants while they undergo testing to
insure that they are disease free.
However, providing permanent sanctuary for these six
elephants is costly. A new barn must be built with a price tag of one
million dollars. The Sanctuary has approached animal welfare
organizations, private foundations and individuals and has raised $877,000
to date. [Watch the donation tally rise at www.elephants.com/hawthorn/hawthorn.php
]
Although the Sanctuary would like to rescue all 16
Hawthorn elephants, this is only possible if additional housing can be
secured and monies raised beyond the one million dollars that the
Sanctuary needs to provide permanent refuge for the first six elephants.
Some of the Hawthorn elephants have lived together for
decades. Most are aged and in poor health. Separating them from one
another could inflict extreme emotional trauma. Additionally, this herd
represents a wealth of information regarding the life threatening diseases
that plague captive elephants. The Sanctuary�s wish is to establish a
world class health and welfare program that would keep these 16 elephants
together and through non-invasive research, benefit many captive elephants
around the world.
The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, is the
nation's only natural-habitat refuge developed specifically to meet the
needs of endangered elephants. It is a non-profit organization, licensed
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources
Agency, designed specifically for old, sick or needy elephants who have
been retired from zoos and circuses. Utilizing more than 2700 acres, it
provides two separate and protected, natural habitat environments for
Asian and African elephants. To learn more about the Sanctuary or to make
a donation to help rescue Lota and the Hawthorn elephants please visit
their web site at www.elephants.com
or call 931-796-6500 ext. 26
NEWS CONTACT: Carol Buckley - 931-796-6500 x 10
Kim -
[email protected]
Circus and Elephant Advocate
Sign my petition to help elephants through legislation:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/945552036
Watch my favorite rescued girls live on the EleCam:
www.tappedintoelephants.com
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