Date
May 26, 2006
Contact
Catherine Doyle
(323) 301-5730
In Defense of Animals
3010 Kerner Blvd
San Rafael
CA 94901
IDA is an international, California-based animal advocacy organization dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by defending their rights, welfare and habitats.
L.A. Zoo’s Shameful Treatment of Elephants Revealed
Protest To Mark Anniversary of Controversial Elephant Move and Highlight Plight of Zoo’s “Hidden Elephants”
Los Angeles—This Memorial Day weekend, members of In Defense of Animals (IDA), Los Angeles Alliance for Elephants, and L.A. residents will gather in front of Los Angeles Zoo to remind zoogoers about the Zoo’s highly controversial move of African elephant, Ruby, in 2003 and reveal how she presently is being cruelly “warehoused” in a tiny pen, away from public view, along with her companion Gita. L.A. Zoo will be urged to send Ruby and Gita to a spacious, natural-habitat elephant sanctuary.
When: Saturday, May 27, 2006 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Where: L.A. Zoo, in front of main entrance
The L.A. Zoo has been embroiled in controversy over the well-being of the elephants ever since Ruby’s ill-fated transfer in the middle of the night to Knoxville Zoo and her subsequent return. The move separated Ruby from Gita, her companion of 16 years. Ruby’s planned integration with other African elephants at the Knoxville Zoo failed and she was kept alone for more than a year before being trucked back to L.A.
Ruby and Gita now share a tiny “temporary” enclosure, though the two old friends are now separated by a barrier. A December 2005 report from the City Administrative Officer called the enclosure “insufficient to house them over the long term.” Gita has been held there for over 2-1/2 years; Ruby for 1-1/2 years. The elephants are not on display to the public and are expected to remain in this facility for at least four years during construction of the new elephant exhibit.
Gita, a 47-year-old Asian elephant, has suffered chronic foot infections and arthritis for decades. Zoo records suggest that her health problems have been exacerbated by conditions of the “temporary” pen, including the concrete flooring in the barn. Foot disease and arthritis in elephants are caused by the zoo environment, specifically intense confinement in small spaces that prevent exercise and force elephants to stand on unyielding surfaces such as concrete and compacted earth. These conditions are the two leading causes of euthanasia in captive elephants in the U.S. Elephants in the wild walk tens of miles a day, which helps maintain physical health and fitness.
In April, the City of L.A. added fuel to the roaring debate over the welfare of the elephants at the Zoo by approving the Zoo’s plan to spend $40 million in taxpayer money on a 3.5-acre exhibit to be subdivided into four yards and capable of holding up to ten elephants.
Please visit www.HelpElephants.com for more information..