The Court of Padua has issued an eight month suspended sentence to A.C., director of the Medrano Circus, for cruelty to animals as per article 544 ter of the Italian Penal Code, as “he gratuitously caused physical and psychological damage to animals - notably exotic species – who have been medically treated directly on the circus premises, having been subjected to treatment that was incompatible with their ethological needs.”
LAV, who joined civil proceedings as a civil party, has declared that it was “satisfied with the judgment and that (it believes) this sentence finally does justice to the animals involved and represents the culmination of years of work by numerous associations who began cooperating on the case in December 2012, when the Medrano Circus’ tent was being set up in Padua. Inspections, first carried out by volunteers and then by the official authorities, revealed the appalling and inadequate conditions in which the animals were being kept, conditions that were incompatible with their ethological needs.”
The synergy between LAV volunteers in Padua and the animal protection association LAC, was reinforced by the support of LAV headquarters and Animal Amnesty, that provided documentation and findings from previous investigations that made it possible to open legal proceedings.