On Monday, Lawrence County, AL Circuit Court met to determine whether or not to dismiss the Liebel Family's February 2018 appeal for Nosey's custody, which was granted to Lawrence County animal control in court, January 2018.
In November 2017, African elephant Nosey was seized by Lawrence County Animal Control in Moulton, AL after concerns for her care and well-being were raised by the public. The Sanctuary was contacted to provide emergency care and Nosey arrived in Tennessee soon after.
Nosey was born in Zimbabwe in 1982. She was captured from the wild in 1984 and sent to Ocala, Florida and then in 1986 was transferred to David Meeks of the Meeks Company in South Carolina. She was purchased by Hugo Liebel in 1988 and traveled with the Liebel Family Circus until her seizure in November 2017.
On Monday, Lawrence County, AL Circuit Court met to determine whether or not to dismiss the Liebel Family's February 2018 appeal for Nosey's custody, which was granted to Lawrence County animal control in court, January 2018.
We've received an update from the court that Judge Mark Craig dismissed the Liebel's appeal for custody.
We are excited about this big leap toward securing Nosey's future at The Sanctuary! At this time, we do not know if there will be future legal action, however we will keep our supporters updated once we receive a full report from our legal team.
Along with year-round access to a heated barn and a spacious habitat, Nosey and all the elephants at The Sanctuary receive individualized veterinary and husbandry care, diverse environmental enrichment, and freedom of choice in a protected-contact setting.
We delight in the incredible strides Nosey has made in trust, confidence, and strength since her arrival to The Sanctuary in 2017. She has been an active participant in her own healthcare and energetically explores and engages with her surroundings, even creating shortcuts for herself by climbing over large logs and moving trees to forge trails down to the valley in her habitat. Caregivers assert that her enthusiasm for interacting with the world around her is contagious!
Help us Care, Prepare, and Advocate for Elephants
Make a gift to the Year End Campaign today and your donation enables us to care for elephants at The Sanctuary and help make a difference for elephants all over the globe. Because of you, we have provided home, herd, rest, refuge, and individualized care to 28 elephants since 1995, continually improving our facilities and honing our expertise to be the best choice of final home for retiring elephants. Approximately 400 captive elephants live in North America and, with your help, we stay prepared and stand ready to provide for more elephants as their owners consider retirement.