Jumbo the elephant has been given her marching orders from a
Dunedin pub.
Circus management was informed by the SPCA yesterday the
35-year-old African elephant would have to move from the
Kensington pub car park to a more suitable home.
Last week, the elephant was banned from Dunedin City Council
parks and reserves but was given a temporary home at the
pub's car park, which is near the Oval-based circus.
SPCA senior inspector Stephanie Saunders confirmed Jumbo's
locations did not meet the minimum standards required by the
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for circus animals.
"I have been visiting her over the past few days. We have
never been happy about her being in a pub car park."
The small enclosure, bitumen surface and lack of exercise
were all breaches of minimum standards by the circus, she
said.
The circus had been given until today to move the four-tonne
elephant to a more suitable location and were "quite gracious
about it".
"We are all trying for a suitable solution," she said.
Loritz Circus spokesman Paul Johnson said the pub car park
was always a "temporary solution" and the elephant would be
heading to the A and P showgrounds in Mosgiel today.
"The only reason she is here is because of a last-minute
decision by the Dunedin City Council."
The Kensington manager, Craig Bradford, said it would be "sad
for the children of Dunedin if she had to go".
The pub began a petition at noon yesterday to protest the
move and by last night had more than 500 signatures calling
for Jumbo to remain.
