LOS ANGELES, July 6 (UPI) -- Animal rights activists are suing two longtime California animal trainers, arguing an elephant used in the movie "Water for Elephants" was mistreated.
The lawsuit brought by Animal Defenders on behalf of two of its members accuses Gary and Kari Johnson, owners of Have Trunk Will Travel in Perris, of fraud, The (Riverside) Press-Enterprise reported Tuesday.
The two members of the animal rights group -- one woman from Texas and another from Oregon -- say they went to see the movie because they believed no animals had been mistreated in the filming of it, but later learned from the Animal Defenders Web site that the elephant had been trained using electric shocks.
Kari Johnson said Animal Defenders knows nothing about working with elephants.
"We are unwavering in our commitment to elephants," she said in a statement. "We stand by our care and training methods."
The Johnsons have been training elephants for more than 20 years. They supply animals for fairs, parades and weddings as well as films.
The lawsuit was filed June 27 in federal court in Los Angeles and seeks monetary damages from the company.
