Liebel Circus

1432 Adair Rd.
Davenport, FL 33837
USDA License #58-C-0288

Liebel Circus has failed to meet minimal federal standards for the care of animals used in exhibition as established in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Liebel Family Circus numerous times for failure to provide veterinary care, wholesome, uncontaminated food, shelter from the elements, adequate space, and environment enrichment for primates, failure to maintain structurally sound enclosures, filthy enclosures, mishandling animals, and withholding food for training purposes. Contact PETA for documentation.

Animals used in recent acts: a Capuchin, a spider monkey, an elephant, and a calf.

September 6, 2002: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to provide its elephant with shelter from sunlight.

July 27, 2002: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to comply with veterinary care requirements and failure to maintain primate cages. The circus did not have a program of veterinary care or results of tuberculosis tests for its elephant and two primates. A spider monkey had not been tested for tuberculosis.

February 28, 2002: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for a fourth time for failure to provide minimum space to its primates and its elephant, inadequate lighting, failure to provide perimeter fencing, cages in disrepair, and poor housekeeping that posed life-threatening hazards to animals. The animals were left stored inside transport trailers, in the dark, at the circus's winterquarters. The small monkey cages inside the trailer were only 2' high, 5' short of the minimum requirements. The elephant is kept inside a compartment in the transport trailer while at winterquarters and on tour or sometimes chained to two trees, which does not allow adequate freedom of movement and exercise.

January 27, 2002: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for mishandling a rabbit at risk of injury, failure to provide rabbit cages that meet minimum space requirements, keeping a dog tied on a 4-foot tether, and poor sanitation. The inspector found sharp pieces of glass, used during an act in the show ring, that could easily injure the elephant's feet, as well as other animals.

January 23, 2001: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to have current tuberculosis tests for several elephant handlers, failure to maintain transport enclosures with compartments only 2 feet high for the primates, failure to provide adequate space to the primates confined in small transport compartments during periods when the circus is not traveling, and failure to provide adequate shelter and space for the elephant.

October 18, 2000: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for improper food storage.

May 11, 2000: Liebel Family Circus was cited for filthy conditions. The inspector wrote, "The traveling enclosure for the five dogs in the act is excessively soiled with urine and feces. It has a strong odor."

The circus was also cited for a poorly maintained primary enclosure that could cause injury to the animals.

January 10, 2000: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to correct a previously identified violation of inadequate veterinary care. The inspector found an elephant suffering from an untreated skin condition. The circus was cited for failure to have its three elephant handlers tested for tuberculosis.

The circus was also cited for failure to provide shelter, poorly maintained primary enclosures that allowed animals to escape, poorly maintained transport enclosures that had the potential to cause injury, and poor housekeeping.

January 25, 1999: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to correct previously identified violations of inadequate veterinary care and poor housekeeping. The inspector wrote, "There is no written record of a veterinary examination and evaluation of the elephants' skin or the nonhuman primates' hair coat and diet."

The circus was also cited for an elephant transport trailer in disrepair, rotted wood in the primate enclosure, and stored near the primates.

July 21, 1998: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for filthy enclosures, failure to provide adequate veterinary care, an elephant transport trailer in disrepair and without adequate ventilation, improper feeding, and failure to have a current environment enrichment plan for the primates.

The inspector wrote, "Excreta is present in area [where the] elephant is chained. Urine odor is high, and ground is soggy with wet urine and feces. ... Structural strength of trailer for elephant is unsound. There are three (slick) bald tires on the trailer. There are large areas of 'spot' welding ... [which] weakens the frame structure and is a hazard to hauling the elephant. Sharp pieces of metal are exposed ... [the] elephant could sustain a very bad laceration. ... Elephant has symptoms of deep grooves in the four feet. ... There is noticeable hyperkeratosis on the ears, and skin is too dry."

June 16, 1998: Cedarburg, Wis., officials canceled Liebel Family Circus minutes before the 3 p.m. showtime because the circus owner had refused to comply with a city code section that requires circuses to submit a list of employees for background checks. Police have at times discovered fugitives traveling with circuses, and the ordinance was enacted out of concern for the safety of residents and visitors.

June 3, 1998: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to correct previously identified violations of providing insufficient space and inadequate environment enrichment for primates and inaccurate records and identification.

The circus was also cited for improper food storage and failure to provide a complete itinerary.

May 1, 1998: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to correct previously identified violations of mishandling and inadequate environment enrichment for primates, inaccurate records and identification, and enclosures in disrepair.

The inspector wrote, "The primates still have chains around their necks and were staked to the ground. ... Chains must not be used/kept on these animals. ... [The dog and primate enclosures] are still rusty [with] rotted wood and peeling paint."

The circus was also cited for failure to provide minimum space to three primates who were kept in a single cage measuring 4 feet high by 3 1/2 feet long by 2 feet wide.

The inspector noted that there was no result for the elephant's tuberculosis test and that the owner was still withholding food from the elephant during the day for training purposes.

December 18 and 22, 1997: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to correct previously identified violations of not providing adequate veterinary care to a cow with hair loss and an elephant with crusty skin, inadequate cleaning, and failure to maintain the elephant enclosure.

The circus was also cited for mishandling animals. Food is withheld "for a day or so" for training purposes, and two primates had chains around their necks that could potentially strangle the animals. The circus was cited for poor housekeeping, feeding moldy hay, failure to follow an environment enrichment plan for primates, failure to maintain enclosures, failure to have an exercise plan for the dogs, and inaccurate records and identification.

April 28, 1997: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for a travel trailer in need of repair and improper food storage.

January 21, 1997: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to correct previously identified violations of not providing adequate veterinary care, not having food on the premises for the animals, inadequate cleaning, and failure to maintain the elephant enclosure and transport vehicle. The inspector wrote, "There are no records on the goat's death [or] medical records ... for deworming."

The circus was also cited for failure to provide shelter from the elements and inadequate cleaning.

August 1, 1996: The USDA cited Liebel for feeding a deficient diet to primates and failure to maintain enclosures.

January 4, 1996: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to correct previously identified violations of not having medical records to indicate if the animals had received vaccinations, dewormings, and tuberculosis tests, contaminating food with feces and urine, and failure to maintain and clean transport enclosures.

The circus was also cited for filthy conditions, failure to have an adequate supply of food on the premises, failure to provide water, housing together incompatible animals, and failure to handle elephants in a manner that would protect the public and the animals.

April 13, 1995: Liebel Family Circus was cited for failure to supply the required itinerary.

February 17, 1995: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to correct previously identified violations of not providing veterinary care to a goat who appeared thin and was in need of hoof trimming, not having medical records to indicate fecal exams or dewormings, not having an environment enhancement plan for primates, and storing food in a manner that allowed feces and urine contamination from the primates.

The circus was also cited for improperly storing primate chow that contained rodent droppings and a filthy transport enclosure.

February 14, 1995: Liebel Family Circus was cited for failure to supply the required itinerary.

January 9, 1995: Liebel Family Circus was cited for not allowing access to records and property.

February 23, 1994: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to correct previously identified violations of not maintaining structurally sound enclosures.

The circus was also cited for failure to provide veterinary care to a goat with overgrown hoofs, failure to have an acceptable environment enhancement program for primates, improper food storage, and failure to provide shelter from the elements.

August 2, 1993: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for inadequate feeding of primates.

March 3, 1993: The USDA cited Liebel Family Circus for failure to provide an environment enrichment plan for primates, an unsafe primate enclosure with chewed, rotting wood and an exposed nail, and failure to provide enclosures of sufficient strength to contain elephants.

For more information, contact:

PETA
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-622-7382

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