A city official confirmed on Tuesday that Viola, an elephant scheduled to appear on stage at Jordan World Circus in Butte, Montana, had escaped and was wandering through the city, stopping traffic, knocking over fences, and defecating in yards.
J.P. Gallagher, the county's chief executive, said that one of the circus elephants managed to escape from its trainer and soon found its way onto Harrison Ave, a bustling street in town.
A social media video shows Viola traveling through traffic in a southwest Montana community. The footage also shows people beside her as she passes the town's casino and enters a storage facility.
Observers cannot help but giggle as the rogue elephant crosses the street and enters a common parking area used by the nearby casino and gas station. In the video, a man can be seen chasing after the elephant.
Even though Viola caused some damage to the storage area at the Civic Center, "no one was injured," Gallagher said. He added that although the facility sustained minor damage, they were grateful that everyone remained unharmed.
The elephant's quick stroll around town did not last long, and the animal eventually returned to its handlers. The man filming the elephant was a circus employee who was later seen guiding the animal into its pen.
Animal protection organizations PETA and PAWS reported in a separate statement that Viola had escaped from the circus before.
According to PETA, the circus that provided the elephants for the Jordan World Circus, Carson & Barnes, has a track record of forcing elephants to perform grueling exercises and has been fined for over a hundred violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
