Circus Fined in Animal Welfare Violation Case

A circus has agreed to pay a $7,000 fine to settle alleged federal animal-welfare violations involving Missouri and Pennsylvania shows where elephants got loose or too close to circus-goers.

Royal Hanneford Circus' resolution of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2015 complaint after the Carson & Barnes circus agreed to a $16,000 fine for its alleged role.

Royal Hanneford had hired Carson & Barnes to exhibit elephants. Neither circus admits wrongdoing.