Victory! Nosey the Elephant Will Remain Out of Reach of Abusive Former Handler, Hugo Liebel
Nosey the elephant is getting the fairytale ending that she so rightfully deserves. Today, Lawrence County District Court Judge Terry declared that Nosey the elephant won’t be returned to the people who left her chained and swaying back and forth in her own waste with urinary tract, skin, and roundworm infections as well as painful osteoarthritis and signs of dehydration and malnutrition.
PETA’s campaign for Nosey started in 2004, when a whistleblower reported that she was being routinely abused with bullhooks and electric prods. Over the years, PETA has persuaded venues not to host performances with the suffering elephant, persuaded authorities to bar Hugo Liebel’s elephant act, worked with elephant experts, engaged members of Congress, and obtained celebrity support in favor of her release to an accredited sanctuary where her needs could be met properly.
PETA thanks local authorities for initiating this course of events and everyone who worked to keep Nosey away from Liebel—the man who used chains and intimidation in order to force her to give rides for decades.
The Road to Justice Was a Long One
Prior to Nosey’s seizure, Liebel had been cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for nearly 200 animal-welfare violations. Most of these citations were related to his mistreatment of Nosey, including repeatedly chaining her so tightly that she could barely move and denying her necessary veterinary care. This cruelty had been occurring for decades.
On November 8, 2017, Lawrence County District Court Judge Angela Terry issued a writ of seizure after Animal Control Officer (ACO) Kimberly Carpenter—who could be described as Nosey’s guardian angel—found the elephant confined to a trailer at a truck-repair shop where the Liebels were reportedly having their brakes fixed. She was standing in feces and without proper shelter. The trailer that she was confined to was so small that Nosey couldn’t take a step or turn around.
On November 9, Judge Terry held a hearing to determine whether the seizure should stay in place. After the hearing, she ordered animal control to “make arrangements as necessary for the housing and care” of Nosey. That night, she was transported to The Elephant Sanctuary (TES) in Tennessee.
At TES, she was and continues to be given the care and protection she deserved all along. When she arrived at the sanctuary, the staff was waiting for her with welcome presents: fresh produce, bamboo, and banana leaves. The veterinary and husbandry teams carefully monitored her throughout the night and reported that she was calm and already showing interest in her new surroundings at the lush green refuge. Demonstrating full transparency—because unlike Liebel, TES has nothing to hide—the sanctuary has continued to provide updates about Nosey on its website, as well as through its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts:
On December 15, a trial was held to determine whether the seizure should be made permanent. Key testimony came from expert witness Dr. Lydia Young, associate veterinarian at TES. She testified that Nosey had arrived at the sanctuary showing signs of dehydration and that she hadn’t been fed enough. She also had multiple infections: She was suffering from a painful urinary tract infection, a roundworm infection (which is caused by ingesting fecal matter), and a chronic bacterial infection from her severely dry, cracked, and overgrown skin. She was also stiff and sore, and her left hind leg was swollen. The sanctuary was able to perform radiographs on the leg, which confirmed that she’s suffering from osteoarthritis. According to Dr. Young, Nosey requires daily veterinary care for her conditions. Her skin will take months or years to improve, and osteoarthritis is an incurable, chronic disease that requires pain management and species-appropriate exercise.
Although the trial lasted more than 10 hours, the judge didn’t rule on the case at that time.
Another victory was achieved the following day, though, when Liebel and his wife, Franciszka, were arrested and charged with cruelty to animals in relation to their treatment of Nosey.
PETA applauds local authorities—including ACO Carpenter and Assistant District Attorney Callie Waldrep—for standing up to cruelty and making the best possible case for this elephant. At TES, she’ll continue to receive round-the-clock veterinary care and protection from all harm. Although the Liebels have filed an appeal, PETA will continue to push to keep Nosey right where she is.
We’ll continue to monitor the Liebels’ pending criminal case, and we’re glad that these abusers are finally facing the consequences of their actions.
