Ruby the Elephant Leaves for PAWS Sanctuary!

Activists To Throw Ruby Farewell Party at L.A. Zoo

Los Angeles, Calif.—Members of In Defense of Animals (IDA), Los Angeles Alliance for Elephants, and caring citizens will gather in front of L.A. Zoo with signs and streamers to celebrate Ruby’s imminent departure for the PAWS sanctuary in Northern California, where she will begin a new life in spacious, natural surroundings. She is expected to leave on Tuesday.

When: Tuesday, May 15th, 9:30a.m. (prior to Zoo Commission meeting)
Where: In front of the main gates at Los Angeles Zoo

Ruby, a 46-year-old African elephant, has spent more than 40 years on display before the public, including time in a circus and at various zoos. She was launched into the national spotlight when, in 2003, the L.A. Zoo separated her from Gita, her companion of 16 years, and sent her to a Knoxville, Tenn. zoo, sparking a citizen lawsuit. After Ruby did not integrate with the other elephants, L.A. mayor James Hahn was forced to call for Ruby’s return.

Advocates and citizens – including TV game show host Bob Barker – who had long urged Ruby’s move, stepped up their efforts after Gita died in June 2006. Barker pledged $300,000 in matching funds to support Ruby’s transfer and care at the sanctuary.

At the PAWS sanctuary, Ruby will join three other African elephants and will be able to roam more than 70 acres of grassy, natural landscape. The facility will give Ruby more than 500 times the space of her current enclosure. PAWS has received elephants from zoos in Detroit, San Francisco, and Milwaukee.

Ruby is the second elephant this month to be transferred from a zoo to a sanctuary. The other elephant is Dulary, a 43-year-old Asian elephant who was transferred from the Philadelphia Zoo, which is closing its elephant exhibit, to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. Ten U.S. zoos have closed their elephant exhibits and another two zoos have announced they will soon shutter their elephant displays. Two more zoos, including the Bronx Zoo, will phase out their exhibits.

One elephant remains at L.A. Zoo, a 21-year-old male Asian elephant named Billy.

For more information on IDA’s years-long campaign to move Ruby to a sanctuary, please visit www.HelpElephants.com.