The owner of a circus-training facility in rural McHenry County has agreed to find new homes for his elephants under an agreement with federal authorities, officials announced today.

Chicago Tribune
March 8, 2004

The proposed agreement between John Cuneo, owner of Hawthorn Corp., and the U.S. Department of Agriculture would end the government's case against Cuneo and his company for dozens of alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act concerning the elephants' care.

A USDA administrative law judge still must approve the settlement.

"(Cuneo) will cooperate with the USDA in finding a new home for the elephants," said David Weintraub, a spokesman for Cuneo.

A hearing on the charges had been scheduled to begin today before an agency law judge in Washington D.C. That case proceeded today against one of the original defendants in the case, James G. Zajicek of Mesa, Ariz., a trainer used by Cuneo.

While the charges against Cuneo and other defendants have not yet been dropped, USDA spokesman Jim Rogers said settlements either have been reached or are in the works. Those portions of the case are not proceeding in court.

Cuneo could not be reached for comment. He said last year he had 19 elephants at his farm near Richmond, along with a lion and 84 tigers.

Since then, at least one of the elephants has been seized by the USDA, which said poor health put the animal, Delhi, in "imminent danger."

Weintraub said Cuneo plans to give the elephants away rather than sell them. A decision on where they will go, the spokesman added, will be made after a judge approves the agreement with the USDA.
Neither Weintraub nor a USDA spokesman could say when a judge may rule nor when the elephants may leave the McHenry County farm.

Cuneo's training facility will remain open, Weintraub said. The government's case did not affect the lion or the tigers.

Hawthorn's animals have performed in circuses across the U.S. and around the world. But in the last 10 years, the entity has become a target of USDA investigations and protests by animal rights groups alleging animal cruelty.

Copyright (c) 2004, Chicago Tribune

Comment: Delhi was moved to the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary and is doing really well. It is my hope that Cuneo's remaining elephants can also go to this wonderful refuge to join Delhi and Tina!