Nosey the Elephant has suffered for years from the illegal abuse and neglect of her owner, Hugo Liebel who rents her out to traveling circuses. According to government inspectors, his legal violations include:



In Nosey’s cage, “a portion of the metal wall…was detached, exposing a sharp metal edge that could injure the elephant.”



“Nails protruding into” Nosey’s “enclosure.” Two years later similar violations remained.



Nosey has “a visibly poor [and painful] skin condition” that Liebel persistently ignores, illegally denying her necessary veterinary care.



Nosey gets tethered “in such a manner that the elephant could only move a few feet from side to side, in willful violation” of the law. This could cause “behavioral stress, physical harm or unnecessary discomfort.” She has been “tethered by chains around [her] left front and right rear ankles that were so taut that they permitted little movement; the elephant was unable to lie down on her side, or to make any forward or backward movement, and could only move a few feet from side to side.” Sometimes Liebel tied Nosey up even tighter so she couldn’t even “stand comfortably.” Again he had the chains around her ankles that “were so taut that they permitted little to no movement; the elephant was required to maintain her left front foot in a forward position.”



Nosey’s trailer “contained loose metal ceiling panels, exposed bolts and peeling, chipping and flaking interior paint.” It also “contained accumulations of equipment in close proximity to the elephant during transit.”



Liebel has “failed to store supplies of food in facilities which adequately protected such supplies against deterioration, molding, or contamination by vermin, and specifically an open trailer used for food storage was cluttered, dirty and had holes in the floor, there were open bags of feed, and evidence of” rodents and vermin.



In February 2010 Nosey “was observed to have lost weight.” Liebel did not consult a veterinarian. A year later a veterinarian finally instructed Liebel to weigh Nosey. Of course he didn’t.



An “examination of the elephant’s feet revealed overgrowth of the soles, with trapped manure and leaves in flaps of the front feet and the right rear foot.”



The U.S.D.A. has the chance to save Nosey at a hearing THIS MARCH. Please let him know that we are watching for him to do the right thing.