USDA to take Public Comment on Citizen Petition Charging U.S. Zoos Violate Federal Law in Housing of Elephants 
Important Step Underscores Gravity of Concern Over Keeping Elephants in Inadequate Enclosures

Washington, D.C.— The U.S. Department of Agriculture will take public comment on a citizen petition, filed by In Defense of Animals (IDA) on February 2, charging that U.S. zoos are violating the federal Animal Welfare Act by holding elephants in tiny, unnatural enclosures that cause painful arthritis and chronic foot infections. 

In a letter to IDA this week, Dr. Chester Gipson, Deputy Administrator of the Animal Care division of USDA stated, “We acknowledge that these are important issues and that many parties have a stake in them. Given the broad range of stakeholders and our mandate to base potential rulemaking on valid scientific, peer-reviewed information, we will publish the petition in a Federal Register notice, requesting comments on its contents, as well as other areas of animal care.” 

The Federal Register is the federal government’s official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. 

“In seeking public comment on our petition, the USDA is acknowledging the gravity of concern over the poor conditions for elephants in our nation’s zoos,” said Elliot Katz, DVM, president of IDA. He noted that the agency could have rejected the petition outright or responded to it without seeking public comment. “We look forward to the opportunity place in the public record the overwhelming evidence that current zoo conditions are forcing elephants to suffer and die prematurely.” 

The petition seeks enforcement action by USDA against zoos violating the Animal Welfare Act’s adequate space and conditions regulations. It is supported by a range of experts, including leading authorities on wild elephants, zoo veterinarians and zoo professionals. 

An estimated half of all captive elephants suffer from arthritis and foot disease, and the ailments are the leading cause of euthanasia for elephants in zoos. American Zoo and Aquarium Association standards require a mere 1800 square feet (.04 acres) of outdoor space per elephant, about the size of six parking spaces. By contrast, African elephants have home ranges of 120 square miles and walk 5-12 miles a day or more. Asian elephants have home ranges of up to 200 square miles and daily movements ranging from 5-14 miles. (There are 640 acres in a square mile.) 

Named as examples of institutions where elephants are suffering from arthritis and foot disease are: National Zoo in Washington, D.C.; Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kan.; Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas; Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Ariz.; Los Angeles Zoo; and, Abilene Zoo in Texas. IDA will add zoos to that list as medical records, obtained under state open records laws, are evaluated. 

Kimbrell and Mendelson, a Washington, D.C. law firm filed the petition on IDA’s behalf. It can be viewed at www.helpelephants.com.