In Defense of Animals (IDA) announced that India has banned elephants from zoos and circuses, citing the abusive treatment and confinement:

San Rafael, Calif. (November 12, 2009)–In Defense of Animals (IDA) today hailed the recent ruling by India’s Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to completely ban the keeping of elephants in zoos, circuses and private collections throughout the country and ordering of the release of 140 such elephants, who will be “rehabilitated” to live in semi-free ranging conditions in forest camps and facilities near national parks, and other protected wildlife reserves.

IDA adds:

If a country such as India, which has thousands of years’ experience managing elephants in captivity, can make such a forward-thinking decision, then certainly the United States can take a stand against circuses that exploit elephants and sub-optimal zoo exhibits that cause elephants to suffer and die prematurely…

Please visit IDA’s Elephant Task Force webpage to read more.

Sincerely,

Windy Borman

Producer, Writer and Director, The Eyes of Thailand

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Below is the press release from Catherine Doyle, the elephant Campaign Director at In Defense of Animals:

Feds Slap Los Angeles Zoo with Fine in Death of Elephant
http://www.savezooelephants.com/news_releases_10.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 20, 2009

USDA cites failure to provide veterinary care

Los Angeles, Calif.–The U.S. Department of Agriculture has hit the Los Angeles Zoo with a stipulated penalty of $3,281 for failure to provide veterinary care in the 2006 death of the elephant Gita, according to information just provided to In Defense of Animals (IDA) by the USDA.

“It’s outrageous that the USDA took so long to come to this pathetic conclusion, especially when the L.A. Zoo‘s negligence caused Gita to suffer a slow and agonizing death,” said Catherine Doyle, IDA campaign director. “The paltry fine is nothing more than a slap on the wrist for the L.A. Zoo. It’s a sad reflection on how little value is placed on the life of an endangered species like the Asian elephant.”

Gita’s death on June 10, 2006, made headlines after IDA exposed the zoo’s

photo from LA Unleashed

failure to provide veterinary care to her after she collapsed and was unable to rise. Despite being observed down on the ground overnight, zoo personnel took no action to help the elephant, who died soon after keepers discovered the ailing elephant in the morning. It was estimated that Gita lay suffering for as long as 17 hours.

For decades Gita suffered from painful chronic foot disease and arthritis caused by inadequate conditions for elephants at L.A. Zoo. Her necropsy report noted that her severe arthritis or an extremely infected abscess on her back (caused by Gita leaning against her pen to take pressure off her painful front feet and joints) may have triggered a blood clotting disorder that caused her collapse and subsequent heart failure.

Last month, celebrities and animal protection leaders blasted the USDA for its failure to effectively protect captive-held elephants. In separate letters, Bob Barker and Lilly Tomlin, joined by leading animal protection organizations, criticized the USDA’s lack of timely action on a number of egregious cases involving elephants in zoos and circuses, including Gita’s. Read the letter here

“There simply is no excuse for the USDA’s foot dragging, especially in cases like Gita’s, where the facts are undeniably clear,” said Doyle. “Elephants are suffering and dying prematurely in zoos and circuses. It’s time for the USDA to start seriously enforcing the law and protecting these elephants now, rather than waiting until it’s too late.”

Gita is the fourteenth elephant to die at the Los Angeles Zoo. The zoo currently holds one solitary elephant, Billy.

For more information, please visit www.HelpElephants.com

Please read the news articles by the Associated Press and LA Times based on the above press release.

The Animal Rights 2009 National Conference is in LA from July 16-20.  So far, I’ve met some amazing animal activists and supporters and am pleased with the content I’ve seen and heard about elephants.  Two of the projects I’d like to highlight are:

• War on Animals, a documentary by Courtney Scott and Beyond Pictures, which “provides an overview of animal rights throughout history and illustrates the many ways activists are working to alleviate the animals’ suffering, including the refuges and sanctuaries that offer a new lease on life to old or disabled farm, lab, zoo and circus animals.” http://www.beyond-productions.com/

Image from "War on Animals"

• Elephants on the Edge, a short documentary about the illegal elephant trade in Southeast Asian by Tim Gorski, Director and Producer for Rattle the Cage Productions http://www.animalconsultants.org/consultants/gorski_tim.htm

Producer & Director, "Elephants on the Edge"

Tomorrow, I’m looking forward to brunch at Real Food Daily and meeting with Catherine Doyle from In Defense of Animals about her work with elephants involved in Amusement Campaigns (i.e. zoos and circuses).  To learn more about IDA’s Help Elephants campaigns, click here.

Please stay tuned for more updates on the conference!

Best,

Windy Borman

Producer, Writer and Director, The Eyes of Thailand

P.S. If you’re looking for a conference in Asia, consider Asia for Animals Conference 2010 in Singapore.  Who knows, maybe The Eyes of Thailand will be there, too!

Three leading animal protection organizations – Born Free USA, People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA) and In Defense of Animals (IDA) – are joining forces to oppose the pending move of two African elephants, Kallie and Bette, from the Philadelphia Zoo to the Pittsburgh Zoo’s animal holding and breeding facility in Somerset County Pennsylvania. The organizations point to four main animal welfare problems with the transfer:

• Cruel, circus-style elephant training using bullhooks
• Confinement to small pens with no free access to the property’s several hundred acres
• Grave health risks associated with breeding
• Denial of a permanent, stable and natural home

Please visit IDA‘s Help Elephants Web site to learn more.