The harsh reality of wild animals being exploited for human entertainment in circuses continues to surface. However, some of these stories have a silver lining, like the story of Nosey, an elephant who spent over three decades performing in circuses.
Nosey was brought to the United States from Africa when she was only two years old in the early 80s. For over 30 years, she was forced to perform in circus acts and was even rented out to other circuses by her owner, Hugo Tommy Liebel, who runs the Liebel Family Circus.
Throughout her life, Nosey was not allowed to interact with other elephants, leading to a lonely and unhappy existence.
Watch the video at the end.
Numerous petitions were signed to raise awareness of Nosey’s plight, and The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee offered to take her in. However, her owner refused to let her go, according to The Dodo.
A turning point came when the circus caravan stopped in Moulton, Alabama, and authorities received calls from concerned individuals about Nosey’s well-being. Responding swiftly, officers intervened and relocated Nosey to the sanctuary in Tennessee.
Ed Stewart, president and co-founder of the Performing Animal Welfare Society, praised the efforts of those who fought for Nosey’s freedom and the Alabama government officials who took action.
Following these events, a judge ruled that Nosey would not be returned to her owner, bringing joy to activists and animal rights groups who had campaigned for her release. Karen Smith, organizer of Action for Nosey Now, expressed her happiness about the outcome but emphasized the need to continue advocating for other animals in similar situations.
Nosey now resides at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where she can finally roam freely and live out the rest of her life in peace.
Watch the video below:
Via: The Dodo