I say, more power to him!
Becca
Suit Alleges Elephant Abuse at LA Zoo
(From wire service reports)
A history of abuse and neglect at the Los Angeles Zoo resulted in the premature death of 13 elephants, actor Robert Culp and another man claimed in a lawsuit filed today seeking to close the facility.
In the lawsuit filed against the zoo and city of Los Angeles, Culp and real estate agent Aaron Leider accuse zoo officials of abusing elephants by withholding medical care, keeping the animals confined in a small area and using bull hooks and electric shock to control them.
The lawsuit seeks to close the exhibit, where Billy, a 21-year-old male, currently resides, and stop a proposed $39 million expansion.
“The exhibit is going to be a problem for people that know anything about the elephants or what they need. The zoo knows better, they’re just not paying attention,” said attorney David Casselman.
Over the past 33 years, 13 of the zoo’s 31 elephants have died prematurely, according to the lawsuit.
Earlier this year, the Los Angeles City Council agreed to spend $39 million on an Asian elephant exhibit, totaling 6 acres, 3.7 acres of which would allow the pachyderms to roam more freely, compared to the half-acre enclosure they current reside in.
The exhibit, which is set to open in 2009, is meant to hold up to five adult Asian elephants and three of their offspring.
“The zoo is committed to elephants and we are going forward with construction of the Pachyderm Forest,” said the zoo’s Jason Jacobs.
Animal-rights activists have long complained about the zoo’s treatment of elephants. In May, Ruby, a 46-year-old African elephant, was moved to the Performing Animal Welfare Society Elephant Sanctuary in Northern California, where she and three other elephants have 70 acres on which to roam.
The zoo’s third elephant, Gita, died in June 2006. According to a necropsy performed on the animal, Gita died of cardiac failure associated with blood clots blocking the right chamber and major vessels of her heart. An investigation determined that zoo officials were slow to react after the elephant was reported in a downed position.
“You can’t care for these animals in a confined space,” said Leider. “What do the kids really see (at the zoo)? They’re really basically seeing an animal that is slowly dying.”
