Laboratory tests on blood samples from circus elephants that clashed and crushed a handler reveal they had opiates in their systems.
Elephants Baby and Belinda tested positive for opiates, which covers a 'wide variety' of sedative drugs, including codeine. Paracetamol was also detected. Veterinary Laboratory Services Ireland carried out the tests on behalf of Courtney Brothers Circus after incidents involving the elephants at Blackpool, Co Cork. Laboratory director Lucy Gaffney said it was 'highly unlikely' the presence of these drugs would have caused the elephants to behave in the unusual way they had. "The presence of these drugs would not necessarily have resulted in that sort of frenzied behaviour. The test for opiates covers a wide variety of drugs, including codeine, which turns into a morphine-like substance in the body," she said.