Accidents and cases of cruelty

Circuses have from time to time been found guilty of specific acts of cruelty .

In February 1980, the Monte Carlo International Circus was charged with failing to conform with minimum cage requirements.
In 1983, the Director of Circus Startime (later Circus Santos) was found guilty of failing to conform with caging regulations, and a bear trainer from Edgley's World's Greatest Circus Spectacular pleaded guilty to a charge of overcrowding.
Stafford Bullen, of Bullen's Circus, was convicted of cruelty because a monkey had a chain embedded in its neck. In 1984,Sole Brothers' Circus was convicted of cruelty to a camel, whose halter was embedded in its nose.
In December 1984, the proprietor of Silvers' Circus was convicted of cruelty to lion cubs. They were unable to walk, emaciated and suffering from malnutrition, calcium deficiency, worms and mange.
In March 1991, NSW Environment Minister, Tim Moore, refused Sole Brothers' Circus a permit to import 9 trained lions from Papua New Guinea. The Minister said: " Sole Brothers' Circus has failed to meet the standards required under the Exhibited Animals Protection Act and has been unable to demonstrate that the lions, if imported, would be housed to the standards considered acceptable in New South Wales ."

While travelling from one temporary site to the next, accidents can and do happen, causing death or injury to animals .

In September 1980, 3 lions and 5 tigers were trapped for 4 hours when their cage overturned near Herbert (Qld). In August 1993 near Cardwell (Qld), two Sole Brothers' vehicles were involved in a road accident. Two lions were left in an overturned semi-trailer for 90 minutes. Two Sole Brothers' drivers were charged with unlicensed driving and dangerous driving, and the vehicles were ordered off the road after being issued with 13 defect notices, including one relating to faulty brakes in the truck carrying the lions.
In December 1981, Sole Brothers' elephant Tara fell from a semi-trailer, suffering a wound to the head. In February 1983, two Sole Brothers elephants were killed in a road accident.
In August 1986 in Darwin, a camel belonging to Sole Brothers' Circus was attacked by 2 lions who had escaped from their cage.
In May 1991 in Townsville, a monkey in Sole Brothers' Circus was trampled to death after falling from a horse and being dragged around the ring.
In June 1991 in Penrith (NSW), a lion in Robert and Alby Perry's circus collided with a burning hoop, which then fell across its back. In May 1993 in Werribee (Vic), an elephant belonging to Sole Brother's Circus was lucky to escape injury when the circus wagon to which she was chained caught fire.
In June 1992 in St Marys (NSW) a tiger belonging to Robinson's Family Circus was shot dead after escaping from its cage.

As the example of circus elephant Tyke in Honolulu in 1994 demonstrates, the frustration of captive animals can turn to aggression .

Ashton Circus elephant Abu killed 3 circus employees, one in 1974, one in 1983, and one in 1987. Sole Brothers' elephants Betty and Jodie have killed a journalist and a spectator respectively. In 1981 circus elephant Cardie was shot after knocking down his trainer and crushing him with his head and another elephant, Toby, crushed a man to death by ramming him against the wall of a truck.
In 1983 Sole Brothers' lion tamer, Joe Eronis, needed 80 stitches after being attacked by a lion. In 1984 the proprietor of Circus Royale, Frank Gasser, needed 64 stitches after being attacked by a lion. In 1988 an animal handler from Robert and Alby Perry's circus was hospitalised after being mauled by a tiger. In February 1989 Ashton's lion keeper, Brett Hall, needed 170 stitches after being mauled by a tiger called Moscow, who had been reared by the circus since birth. In June 1991 circus owner Bruce Russell was mauled by one of his lions during a photo session. In December1993 Ashtons' lion tamer Charlie Wang Quay received multiple stitches and lacerations when a lioness attacked him during a performance.
In May 1980 a lion in Lennon Brothers' Circus attacked and injured a girl, in spite of the 'precaution' of having had his claws removed as a cub. In 1984 a young child received severe injuries to the abdomen when attacked by a horse belonging to Sole Brothers. In June 1994 the child of an Ashton's Circus member was attacked by a tigon. The child lost one arm and received serious injuries to the other.

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