Culpepper Merriweather Circus

User Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

I work for the USDA and Culpepper & Merriweather Circus has failed to meet minimum federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as established in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Culpepper & Merriweather several times for failure to provide animals with shelter from the elements, enough space to make normal postural adjustments, and proper veterinary care. Culpepper & Merriweather Circus features numerous wild and domestic animals. Tornado sirens spooked two elephants who were preparing to perform with the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus in WaKeeney, Kansas. The animals bolted from their tethers and ran through town, causing minor property damage and frightening residents. One woman claimed that she had been chased into her garage. The elephants were pursued by police, sheriff’s officers, firefighters, and circus workers. One elephant was shot three times with a tranquilizer gun in an effort by authorites to slow the animal down. The elephants were on the loose for approximately three hours before they were recaptured and loaded onto trucks. The USDA cited Culpepper & Merriweather for not having a complete diet plan for its big cats. The Dispatch (a South Pierce County, Washington–based publication) reported that Culpepper & Merriweather’s two African elephants, Barbara and Connie, died in January and February 2004 from an infection that causes inflammation of the heart and brain. According to the African Elephant Studbook, 22-year-old Barbara and 18-year-old Connie were both captured in Africa. In the wild, elephants can live to be 70. A USDA report of an investigation claimed that Culpepper & Merriweather exhibited animals from a nonvalid site between March 22 and October 26, 2004, for a total of 219 performances. The USDA cited Culpepper & Merriweather for failure to correct a previously identified violation of not providing animals with adequate shelter from inclement weather. The inspector noted that this was the second inspection conducted at the new location and that the facility was still out of compliance with the AWA. The USDA cited Culpepper & Merriweather for failure to provide animals with adequate shelter from the sun, for failure to provide three tigers with adequate shelter from inclement weather, and for not having a perimeter fence. The circus was also cited for a tiger-transport trailer that was structurally unsound and needed additional ventilation. One tiger was housed in a transport cage, and two others were in a cage with “a solid floor of mud.” According to The Arizona Daily Star, Culpepper & Merriweather was fined $6,400 for an April 2000 incident in which two elephants and several farmed animals escaped while touring in California. The USDA cited Culpepper & Merriweather for failure to maintain the structural strength of a transport trailer in a manner that would contain the animals and protect them from injury. The USDA cited Culpepper & Merriweather for failure to provide adequate veterinary care to an elephant in need of foot care, failure to maintain the structural strength of perimeter fencing, failure to have an adequate perimeter fence to contain potentially dangerous animals, and failure to maintain the structural strength of the elephant-transport trailer. PLEASE DO NOT VISIT THIS CIRCUS!!!

Comment on Review

Y! Updates An Update about your review will be shared via Yahoo! Updates Manage who sees your Updates

Post CommentCancel