Animal rights activists plan to picket the circus responsible for the elephant that made a dash for freedom across a Cork carpark.
The elephant escaped from the Courtney Brothers circus at the Sunbeam site in Blackpool yesterday.
The agitated elephant paced through a retail carpark in Blackpool before charging a busy junction towards a shopping centre with its minders chasing behind.
It was brought under control and returned to the circus by handlers shortly after the incident.
Animal Rights Action Network (Aran) said the incident might have lead to a trampling that could have caused serious injury or death. The group is campaigning for a ban on animal circus acts.
“This should be seen as a clear warning that’s it’s only a matter of time before someone is killed or injured. These are animals that belong in the wild but are kept in cramped vans and wagons for transportation and then made to perform ridiculous acts,” Aran spokesman John Carmody said.
Aran members picketed the Courtney Brothers circus in Bandon last week. They claim despite best intentions, animals cannot be housed in a humane way as part of the circus.
“These are wild animals by nature. But they are chained and tethered. In Bandon, their only freedom was a small enclosure covered with tarpaulin. They are made to perform ridiculous, degrading acts,” Mr Carmody said.
The Courtney Brothers walk the herd of five elephants through each town they perform in to announce their arrival, which Aran claim is a danger to public safety.
“We are warning gardaí and local councils that it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, it’s a matter of public safety. We may not be so lucky next time,” Mr Carmody said.
The Courtney Brothers claim to be one of the oldest circus families in Ireland.
Circus representatives were not available for comment today.