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PITTSBURGH – Seven people, mostly children, were injured when a frightened camel began banging at a circus in Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that two children and an adult were riding camel during a Sunday break at the arena sanctuary of the PPG Paint arena. According to the newspaper, a child's arm was broken, which seemed to be the most serious injury.
The child was taken to the hospital with five other children and an adult.
The incident occurred around 15:30. like people buying rides on attached camels, ponies or elephants led by handlers.
The camel has been mastered and the circus has resumed.
The circus was his third and last day.
The Pittsburgh Public Security Department told CBS Pittsburgh that children and adults were driving the captive camel, which was headed by skilled handlers, when the animal was "scared" and was starting to bump.
Public safety and circus officials did not immediately know what scared the camel, but a witness told the station that a child had thrown a shovel, used to clean the animals, at the camel's feet.
"They were camel riding and the camels were walking quietly, and then a child threw a shovel at the camel's feet, which surprised the camel and began to move," said Ruthie Kester.
Witness Marlo Shipeck told CBS Pittsburgh: "They went crazy and they just started running everywhere and [my daughter] was holding me and she was really scared and she was crying. "
Officials say the handlers regained control of the camel within 11 seconds.
In a video on Facebook, you can hear an advertiser say, "Ladies and gentlemen, stay calm, please stay calm, no unnecessary movements. Arena if you feel safer.
Emergency medical services were available for the event and they provided medical care to injured children and adults.
No animals, including the camel, were injured during the incident and all were checked and licensed by a veterinarian.
Pittsburgh police and the circus sanction the incident.
Animal rights activists opposed the introduction of the circus in the city, saying they thought the animals were being abused.
Pittsburgh Humanitarian Action issued a statement in response to Sunday's incident.
"We are saddened to learn about the incident that took place today at the PPG arena with the Circus, but not at all surprised." Animal circuses, particularly those whom Cirque Syria subcontracts to their animals, have a long history of animal abuse and public security violations, "the statement said.
Rachel Mathews, Deputy Director of PETA in charge of enforcing the Captive Animals Act, said, "This dangerous incident is exactly what Pittsburgh's ban on using PETA calls on the Syrian Shriners to leave behind. animals out of their sight, these camels and these children would have been spared by this terror and these possible wounds. the public never to buy a ticket at a circus that uses animals. "
Paul Leavy, a sanctuary organizer since 1993, said in the past that the Shriners did not abuse animals.
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