Lim said Sunday he had agreed to a Russian Embassy request to give the 15 performing animals temporary shelter at the Manila city government's zoo until they could be shipped back to Russia.
"I pity those animals. I heard some of them have died and that they do not have enough food, so I am giving them shelter at the zoo," Lim said.
Five of the circus animals have died, including four who were electrocuted earlier this year when a live wire fell on their cage. A llama died last week from diarrhea.
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