Circus elephant injured in drive-by shooting.

Reported by: Jeff Bryant

Email: jbryant@wtva.com

TUPELO, Miss (WTVA) Tupelo police are investigating a shooting involving an elephant with the Ringling Bro's and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

The shooting took place around 2:00 a-m at the Bancorp South Arena.

Police tell WTVA that a vehicle drove by the arena and fired at the animal.

A veterinarian that travels with the circus, and is an elephant specialist is flying to Tupelo later today.

The elephant is alert and moving around.

The animal is expected to make a full recovery.

If anyone has any information they should contact the Tupelo Police Department.  

http://www.wtva.com/content/news/breaking/story/Circus-elephant-injured-in-drive-by-shooting/UU_ge3f9d0e6VryBal8C_w.cspx

Injuries, envenomations and stings from exotic pets in U.K. - via Herp Digest

Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

July 2012 vol. 105 no. 7 296-299

1. Clifford Warwick⇓

2. Catrina Steedman

+ Author Affiliations

1. Emergent Disease Foundation, Riverside House, River Lawn Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1EP, UK

1. Correspondence to: Clifford Warwick. Email: cliffordwarwick@yahoo.com

Summary

A variety of exotic vertebrate and invertebrate species are kept as ‘pets’ including fishes, amphibians (for example, frogs and toads), reptiles (turtles, crocodiles, lizards and snakes), birds, mammals (for example, primates, civets, and lions), and invertebrates (for example spiders, scorpions, and centipedes), and ownership of some of these animals is rising. Data for 2009–2011 suggest that the number of homes with reptiles rose by approximately 12.5%. Recent surveys, including only some of these animals, indicated that they might be present in around 18.6% of homes (equal to approximately 42 million animals of which around 40 million are indoor or outdoor fish). Many exotic ‘pets’ are capable of causing injury or poisoning to their keepers and some contacts prove fatal. We examined NHS Health Episode Statistics for England using selected formal categories for hospital admissions and bed days for 2004–2010 using the following categories of injury, envenomation or sting; bitten or struck by crocodile or alligator; bitten or crushed by other reptiles: contact with venomous snakes and lizards; contact with scorpions. Between 2004 and 2010 these data conservatively show a total of 760 full consultation episodes, 709 admissions and 2,121 hospital bed days were associated with injuries probably from exotic pets. Injuries, envenomations and stings from exotic pets constitute a small but important component of emerging medical problems. Greater awareness of relevant injuries and medical sequelae from exotic pet keeping may help medics formulate their clinical assessment and advice to patients.