Animals Rights Activists Protest at UniverSoul Circus at Jamestown Mall

There is a Facebook page dedicated to the event: Protect Eles and Animals! Protest Universoul Circus St. Louis, MO.

Protestors plan to gather at Jamestown Mall near Florissant before each of the shows running through Sunday to raise awareness about what they claim is the mistreatment of circus animals.

The Facebook page says this event was created in effort to "show social disapproval and unacceptance of the use of animals in circuses and to educate the public on the abuse and damage done to circus elephants and animals."

Protest organizer Christina Tenti told KMOX she is concerned about the ill treatment of the animals in all circuses, specifically using stun guns to control them and have them perform tricks, and having them constantly caged.

Tenti told Fox 2 news one elephant named Nosey was removed from the touring show after a complaint she was chained too tightly. Nosey was a contracted animal. There is a 2011 U.S. Department of Agriculture report on the animals’ owner, Hugo Liebel.

KMOX reports earlier this year, Liebel agreed to a $7,500 fine to settle the complaint. 

Care 2, an organization dedicated to healthy green lifestyles and causes including animal rights, collected over 28,500 signatures in February and delivered them to the circus' owner.

Even, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons has stepped in on Nosey situation and wrote a letter to the circus.

It should be noted UniverSoul Circus ended the relationship with the Liebel and no longer uses the elephant. 

UniverSoul Circus' website says its elephants elephants are trained by Jorge Barreda.

UniverSoul shows run through Sunday.