The collection contains court records, correspondence, notes and press cuttings relating to the legal matter between the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) and African Game Services / African Game Properties, held at the Magistrate's Court for the District of Brits, held at Brits.
Between 1998 and 2000, thirty wild baby elephants were forcibly removed from their mothers and families in Botswana and taken to South Africa, where their spirits were intentionally broken for captive exhibition and display to feed the trade in wild animals.
Because of the conditions under which these elephants were 'trained', a case of cruelty to animals was brought against wild-life dealer and owner of African Game Services (AGS), Riccardo Ghiazza, and his employee. Five years later they were found guilty. The legal wrangle around the Tuli elephants illustrated how weak animal protection legislation is in South Africa.