eleblog

“When German doctor Annelie Forbriger read about South Africa’s decision to lift a 13-year moratorium on elephant culling, she decided to canvass the support of more than 1 000 of her fellow citizens to oppose it.” - IOL

“Some animal-rights activists are asking the city council to overturn the Dallas Zoo’s decision to move its lone elephant to Mexico.” - KXAS

The city of Dallas is on the verge of losing one of its valued citizens through “Extraordinary Rendition” to a foreign facility where she will be subjected to solitary confinement, social isolation, emotional stress, and public humiliation. Jenny has worked selflessly for the benefit of Dallas and its residents for the last 22 years and deserves a better fate.

Jenny, a 31 year old female African elephant has been on display at the Dallas Zoo since 1986. She was forcibly separated from her mother in Africa when she was only 2 and spent the next 7 years at a “training” facility where she was routinely chained, beaten and humiliated to modify her behavior before placing her on display. The elephant enclosure at the Dallas Zoo has always been very inadequate – elephants are highly mobile and require adequate space to roam as much as 30 or more miles each day; her enclosure was measured in square feet when it should be measured in acres.

Elephants are intelligent, social, and self aware. They require a herd to have the social interactions and friendships that are vital to their physical and emotional well being. Jenny spent many years alone and that contributed to her emotional problems that led to self-mutilating behavior which had to be controlled with medications. Her mental condition has been described as “Zoochosis” and as PTSD. Several years ago, a second female African elephant, Keke, was added to the exhibit and she and Jenny became close friends. Unfortunately, Keke passed away earlier this year and Jenny is once again alone. She is extremely depressed (yes, elephants do suffer from depression) and the zoo has determined they can no longer care for her.

Without any input from the citizens of Dallas, the zoo decided to send Jenny to an African Safari Park located in Puebla, Mexico, 80 miles southeast of Mexico City and 950 miles from Dallas. Concerned citizens in Dallas have recommended that rather than shipping her out of the country where she won’t have the protection of U.S. animal care and anti-cruelty regulations, that she be sent to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where should would join 3 other female African elephants on 300 acres within a 2700 acre private reserve dedicated to the care of elephants rescued from zoos and circuses.

http://www.elephants.com

The zoo has refused to accept any input and remains resolute in their intention to send Jenny to the Mexican amusement park.

The zoo’s decision is wrong on many levels and their refusal to listen to the citizens of Dallas is unconscionable.

The Africam Safari Park in Puebla, Mexico is a drive-through amusement park that offers tourists the opportunity to drive their own cars through the various animal habitats. They have only 4.9 acres dedicated to their elephants which currently include 1 male and 2 female Asian elephants. Unfortunately, Asian and African elephants cannot be commingled as they have different social structures and behaviors. Worse yet, there are diseases that are harmless to African elephants while potentially fatal to Asian elephants. The bottom line is that Jenny would be alone in Mexico and all authorities in the subject agree that elephants should never be kept singly.

The idea that Jenny would be on public display and exposed to the noise, fumes, activity of cars and tour buses constantly moving through her environment represents the worst possible conditions for this sensitive creature already suffering from PTSD and depression. In contrast to this commercial exploitation, Jenny deserves the tranquility offered by The Elephant Sanctuary, with their focus on the preservation of the privacy, dignity and well being of elephants who have suffered years of mistreatment.

What can we do? Within the last several years, the zoos in Philadelphia and San Francisco have both determined that elephants cannot be humanely kept on display and have closed their elephant habitats by relocating their elephants to sanctuaries in Tennessee and California. We must join the citizens of Dallas in a public outcry against the “extraordinary rendition” of Jenny to a Mexican amusement park.

Please address your concerns and support for keeping Jenny in the U.S. and sending her to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee by emailing, calling and writing to:

The Dallas Parks and Recreation Department:

Paul D. Dyer, Department Director
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 6FN
Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214) 670-4100
Fax: (214) 670-3205
http://www.ci.dallas.tx.us/forms/form_pkr.htm

To Tom Leppert, Dallas Mayor at:

Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla Street, Room 5EN
Dallas, TX
75201-6390
Main Phone: (214) 670-4054
Fax: (214) 670-0646
tom.leppert@dallascityhall.com

The following is a link to coverage by a local Dallas news report.

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/wfaa080630_mo_elephant.f65c159.html

“Elephant Anne who is with Bobby Roberts Circus on the Common in Marlborough is at the centre of an ongoing controversy.” - This Is Wiltshire

“Petal the elephant died June 9 at the Philadelphia Zoo. At 52, she was oldest African elephant living in an American zoo.” - Philadelphia Inquirer

“A spokesman for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey said Wednesday he doubts Oklahomans will be scared away from the circus next month by recent legal action accusing the company of chaining its elephants for days at a time.” - NewsOK.com

“A animal advocacy group is trying to force the San Antonio Zoo to free one of its animals. ” - WOAI.COM

” Possessing elephants was a status symbol and now it is a big source of income. The author states that if one has an elephant, an annual net income of Rs.15 lakh is assured. The cruelty meted out to domestic elephants is legion, and of late the media have strongly taken this up, but without much result. During the festive season, chained elephants subjected to brutalities are common.” - The Hindu

“The list is compiled through Internet voting, according to the animal rights group. Most zoos made the list because of elephant deaths, cramped exhibits or lack of elephant companions.” - Seattle PI

“Animal rights’ activists have been protesting in front of the San Antonio Zoo for the release of the elephant, Lucky” - WOAI

“Mayor Stephen Mandel was given a stuffed elephant today from an activist who wants city council to give the Valley Zoo’s biggest resident a present in return - a new home in Tennessee.” - Edmonton Journal

“Melya Kaplan is a teacher and an activist. As the Founder and Executive Director of Voice for the Animals Foundation, Kaplan speaks out on behalf of the elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo.” - American Chronicle

“An animal protection organization called today for Dickerson Park Zoo to stop breeding elephants and severely restrict any transfer of elephants out of the zoo.” - News-Leader.com

“Angry animal welfare groups have accused the government of buckling under pressure and reversing its draft policy decision to prohibit the capture and breaking in of wild elephants for use in tourist safaris.” - IOL:

“On a sunny summer day, Chai the elephant browses on grass and branches in the one-acre elephant exhibit at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo. Children lean over the metal barriers, trying to reach the charismatic creature.” - USATODAY.com

“Alaska’s only elephant is now being eyed by officials from a prospective new home, but the same animal rights group that has pushed for Maggie’s departure is saying if this facility is the leading option, she should stay here.” - JuneauEmpire.com

“The self-proclaimed greatest show on earth is in town. But these days, Ringling Brothers in walking a different sort of tight rope. Trying to keep crowds entertained and animal rights activists satisfied.” - abc7news.com

�Ringling has been fined tens of thousands of dollars by the U.S.D.A. [United States Department of Agriculture] and is responsible for the deaths of at least 24 elephants since 1992,� he said. �They cannot be trusted to take care of animals properly. In fact, the Bronx Zoo plans to retire its elephants to a sanctuary because they can�t adequately meet the needs of their elephants. Who on earth believes that Madison Square Garden is a suitable environment for wild animals?� - The Villager