KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A circus has agreed to pay a $16,000 fine to settle a federal complaint involving elephant incidents at shows in Missouri and Pennsylvania.
U.S. Department of Agriculture records show Oklahoma-based Carson & Barnes Circus last month resolved the department’s April 2015 complaint alleging animal welfare violations.
The complaint says three elephants briefly escaped during a March 2014 circus near St. Louis. One elephant sustained scrapes and cuts and another had superficial lacerations.
The complaint also details how elephants were watered too close to a circus’ public area in Altoona, Pennsylvania, enabling a child to pose for a photo behind one. Federal regulations mandate for sufficient distance or barriers between the animals and the public.
Carson & Barnes didn’t return messages Wednesday seeking comment.
