For Immediate Release – Satellite Beach, Florida, November 10, 2017 – SaveNoseyNow.org is celebrating a victory this week for Nosey the African elephant. Nosey was found chained and standing in her own waste without food and water in a small town in rural Alabama on 11/07/17. A Lawrence County animal control officer, unhappy with the circumstances she witnessed, filed a petition to seize Nosey from the notorious elephant abusers, the Liebel Family Circus of Davenport, Florida. A hearing was held in the county District Court where a judge signed an order which upheld the seizure and turned control over to animal control. Nosey was transported to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, a mere 2 hours away, in a beautiful trailer that offered plenty of space, light, air and fresh food. Nosey will be medically and socially evaluated while in the care of the sanctuary. Another hearing to determine permanent custody of Nosey will be held in about 30 days. Barbara Trask Lovett, President of SaveNoseyNow.org said, ” I can’t begin to express my appreciation and admiration for the citizens of Cullman and Moulton, Alabama, and their compassion for Nosey and concern for her health. Nosey is getting good nutritious food and veterinary care, and ample room to roam, things that she has needed for a long time.”
Nosey is a 35 year old African elephant who was stolen from the wild in 1984 at the age of 2 when her mother and the adult members of her family herd were slaughtered in a cull perpetrated by the government of Zimbabwe. Sixty-two baby elephants were separated from their families and purchased by an eccentric millionaire, Arthur Jones, of Ocala, Florida. If the sanctuary becomes a permanent home for Nosey, she will be greeted by an old childhood friend, Sukari. Nosey and Sukari spent about 4 years of their young lives together in Ocala, Florida, before being separated. Nosey was purchased by the Liebel family in 1986. She has been kept alone and isolated since that time, and is used for elephant rides and circus shows under threat of beatings and deprivation.
SaveNoseyNow.org is committed to working on Nosey’s behalf until she is finally living in deserved sanctuary.
For Media Contacts:
Saron Geddy, Media Relations Contact, sarongeddy@gmail.com
Barbara Trask Lovett, President, info@savenoseynow.org
phone: (603) 969-1758
About SaveNoseyNow.org:
This effort to help Nosey and other captive elephants had a simple beginning. In 2014, two Nosey advocates began a conversation that led to a Call-In Action for Nosey event on Facebook. They asked fellow advocates to contact the USDA and urge them to refuse licensure for Nosey’s keeper. In spite of many calls, faxes, emails, and letters, the license was granted, and so it was decided to continue the work by starting a Facebook Group. Save Nosey NOW! was born. Since 2014, the Save Nosey NOW! Facebook group has grown to more than 3400 members. In June 2015, we organized Save Nosey NOW! We Are Her Voice, a peaceful demonstration at the USDA in Washington, DC. People from all over the country gathered to protest renewal of Liebel’s license and to urge the USDA to confiscate Nosey. In January 2016, we hosted the successful Nosey Summit, which brought together major advocacy organizations, including PETA, Animal Defenders International, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, CompassionWorks International, and In Defense of Animals, to share and strategize actions for Nosey. In July we launched Nosey’s Ad Campaign to tell her story in local newspapers where she is performing. Working with other anti-circus advocates, we have also been successful in encouraging venues to cancel Nosey’s appearances. In order to expand our impact on the lives of captive elephants, Save Nosey Now, Inc. was registered as a nonprofit corporation in Florida in September, 2019.
