Animal rights group: "These practises will not stop until the use of wild animals in circuses is prohibited"
“Inspection after inspection fails to identify this abuse. In addition, so many industry witnesses admitted this is acceptable practice; indeed the defence claimed Anne should not be chained all day but for a staggering 13.5 hours a day, more than four times as much as is permitted in zoos. These practices will not stop until the use of wild animals in circuses is prohibited by law.”
– ANIMAL DEFENDERS INTERNATIONAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, JAN CREAMER
The circus owner Bobby Roberts has been found guilty of three charges related to causing suffering to Anne the elephant, the oldest elephant in Europe. His wife Moira Roberts was cleared of all charges.
An animal charity secretly filmed Anne being abused as she was chained to the floor all day.
Court shown footage of elephant kicked and hit with pitchfork
A court was shown footage of an elephant being kicked and hit with a pitchfork today at the trial of a husband and wife accused of causing the animal unnecessary suffering.
Bobby and Moira Roberts appeared at Northampton Crown Court accused of having kept the 58-year-old Asian elephant, called Anne, constantly chained to the ground at the Bobby Roberts Super Circus in Polebrook, Cambridgeshire.
Mr and Mrs Roberts, of Brook Farm, Oundle, Northamptonshire, deny all the charges.
Twycross Zoo said in a statement today that everyone at the zoo is extremely upset by the alleged beating of an elephant by keepers:
"Tywcross Zoo has a zero tolerance towards such behaviour. This case involved rogue individuals, acting in complete disregard to their moral, contractual and legal requirements. Everyone at the zoo is extremely upset at their actions."
Zoo sacked three keepers for allegedly beating an elephant
Twycross elephants: Three zoo keepers have been sacked for allegedly beating one of these animals above Credit: ITV Central
Twycross Zoo says it has sacked three keepers after they allegedly discovered elephants were being mistreated.
"The zoo responded to the situation immediately by telling the Leicestershire police of the issue, who are investigating the matter. The relevant zoo authorities were also informed."
The Zoo said the elephant that was 'mistreated' are being regularly checked by veterinary experts who say they are well and behaving normally.
Three men have been arrested and bailed in connection with the abuse of the elephant.
