Seven tigers (Simba, Kimba, Jix, Chiquita, Nala, Africa and Kenia) have been removed from a circus and are now in the ADI Temporary Rescue Unit in Guatemala. They will be relocated to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa where they will live in huge natural, secure, enclosures with pools and space to roam for the rest of their lives.
The tigers were removed by the Guatemalan animal welfare division, Unidad de Bienestar Animal (UBA), the Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas (CONAP) (wildlife), and police, with logistical support provided by Animal Defenders International (ADI) – trucks, crane, transport cages, and placed in an ADI Temporary Rescue Unit in Guatemala while they are prepared for their new lives.
Following Guatemala’s law banning animal circuses, in 2018, Circo Rey Gitano refused to surrender their animals, leading to an 8-year legal battle with the government’s UBA to enforce the animal welfare law.
The tigers have remained in their circus cages on trucks in the circus compound for almost a decade, with no effort to provide them with appropriate facilities – stored like equipment, no exercise enclosures, to be posed with for social media ‘likes’. Not images of ‘love’ but of possession and control.
The circus lost all legal options and agreed to the removal of the tigers.
They announced on social media they would give up the tigers, then deliberately put the tigers at risk during the seizure. They ensured the animals could not be removed without being sedated, piling old cars, heaps of metal and other junk around them. Despite the removal date being weeks after a court order directing them to hand the animals to the government.
The owner knew that by blocking access the animals would need to be sedated to be removed. Even worse, they fed the tigers knowing this would complicate sedation and put them at risk. All caring owners know animals must not be fed prior to sedation.
These were not the actions of people putting the welfare of animals first.
UBA’s team of eight veterinarians who entered the circus to remove the tigers were constantly disrupted during the procedures. Even in the street, when the animals were being loaded into the ADI cages and the sedation was being reversed, circus people were shouting, jostling and trying to pull the covers off the cages.
Inside the circus, one tiger suffered complications but the veterinary team addressed the problem, and no animals died. The Gitano circus workers were present and aware of this, but have continued to lie to the Guatemalan public, claiming one died.
All the tigers were fully conscious when they were unloaded at the ADI TRU that night, and were filmed safe and alive by Guatemalan television the following day.
The TRU is run by ADI, under the authority of the Government of Guatemala, overseen by Unidad de Bienestar Animal (UBA) and Consejo Nacional de Areas Protegidas (CONAP) departments.
ADI is covering running costs, food, care, veterinary treatment and additional armed security due to the threatening situation caused by the circus.
The animals are in quarantine and are being prepared for the move to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, in compliance with international veterinary requirements for blood tests for disease, vaccinations, treatment for parasites.
At Circo Rey Gitano the tigers were kept in tiny cages on the backs of trucks, no space to run, no grass, no pools. At the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary each tiger will have at least 10,000 square meters / 107,639 square feet of natural open space, pools and houses. They will be able to run at full speed, sun overhead, grass under their feet.
Those who object to this rescue are not acting in the best interests of the animals.
There have been claims that the animals should stay in Guatemala. There is nowhere in Guatemala available for the tigers and certainly, the circus had over 8 years to provide adequate facilities for them and did nothing to provide adequate facilities.
ADI thanks the Government of Guatemala’s UBA and CONAP for enforcing the law and taking action to give these animals a better life and also, thanks the majority of the public in Guatemala, who wish to see the tigers in the best possible place for their welfare and happiness.
ADI is covering the costs of this operation to end suffering of animals in circuses, with donations from our supporters, please help, donate here.
