Olivia Munn Rushes Letter to the USDA to Help Free Nosey the Elephant

You remember Nosey, right? The arthritis ridden elephant who has been forced to live with an abusive owner since 1988? If not, here’s the scoop.

Nosey the pachyderm is owned by Hugo “Tommy” Liebel, a man who has been cited for violating the Animal Welfare Act 200 times. Liebel has trained the poor elephant to perform in circuses and fairs nationwide using bull hooks, hammers, and other abusive methods. Because of her arthritis, Nosey has one lame leg that she must swing around in order to walk.

After hearing of Nosey’s plight, actress Olivia Munn sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, addressing Nosey’s painful position and Liebel’s abuse. The letter was sent on PETA’s behalf, and it calls on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to free Nosey from Liebel’s possession and asked the USDA to “permanently revoke his exhibitor’s license.”

In her letter, Munn writes, “With all the evidence that [the government has]—video footage, appeals from a veterinarian with decades of experience with animals, and the knowledge that joint problems can be fatal in elephants—it’s time to act.”

Elephants working in the entertainment industry who are unable to work as a result of injury are often euthanized … all because they can’t earn profits for a facility.

Veterinarian Dr. Philip Ensley sent his own letter to the USDA highlighting the fact that Nosey’s case is one of the most unnecessarily prolonged cases of abuse in captive pachyderms he has seen.

Munn further emphasized the need for Nosey’s release: “It’s time to step up and do the right thing for this animal by … sending her to a sanctuary. Her life depends on it.”

Way to go Olivia! Let’s free Nosey!

Image source: Karen Ess/Huffington Post