The controversy that has lasted for decades about the Awal Los Angeles in the Los Angeles Zoo is intensifying, even after officials announced that Billy and Tina will be transferred to a zoo in Oklahoma where they will have more space to wander.
On Friday, a Los Angeles resident filed a lawsuit against Billy and Tina’s transfer to the Tolsa Zoo, on the pretext that it should be sent instead to an animal resort.
The lawsuit, which seeks a judicial order from the Supreme Court of Los Angeles, includes a declaration from Singer SherWho was defending Billy and Tina for years.
One of the attendees by PEGGY Beal, a one -present animal rights activist, is going to the right, and she is protesting in front of the Los Angeles Zoo to stop the transportation of elephants Billy and Tina.
(Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times)
Sher said in the announcement: “Billy and Tina spent their time in prison,” Sher said in the announcement. “They deserve the opportunity to live in their lives in peace and dignity.”
Animal rights advocates criticize Los Angeles Zoo for decades to hold elephants in a relatively small container, which says reasons Serious health issues. Among the other celebrities who gathered to the case of elephants, Lily Tomlin and the late Bob Parker.
Jawhara, 61, and Shunzi, 53, has been eliminated in the past few years due to the health issues that the zoo said was related to age, leaving only Billy and Tina, who live in separate containers in the habitat of an elephant of about 6.5 acres.
Long zoo officials Care It provides elephants and did not cite any health problems in late April when they announced the transportation of the Tolsa Zoo, which recently expanded the elephant complex to include a 3660 -square -feet area and preserved an area of 10 acres. Billy and Tina will join five other Asian elephants there.
On Thursday, before the Budget Committee of the City Council, the director of La Zoo and CEO Denise Verret said she believed that Tolsa will provide a “environment that can flourish”, noting the social benefits of living with other elephants.
Activists protest the animal rights in front of the Los Angeles Zoo to stop the transfer of elephant Billy and Tina to the Tolsa Zoo.
(Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times)
The lawsuit, filed by John Kelly, animal fans and long -lived in Los Angeles, is called Ferrit as a defendant and clarifies health issues that can affect elephants in captivity, including “modern in the zoo”, a mental illness caused by imprisonment.
The living conditions of Billy and Tina are “wicked”, with a little shadow and full sand that it claims has caused severe damage to their feet, according to the lawsuit.
“It does not matter the size of the zoo container, if it is expanded or not, whether you call it protected or call it an exhibition. It is incredibly inhuman for them.”
As far as it dates back to 2008, defenders expressed their pain regarding the abdication of Billy’s head, a sign of brain damage, according to the defense of animals, which this year ranked the Los Angeles Zoo ranked first on “10 worst zoos for elephants” List for the second year in a row.
Billy is 40 years old, and Tina is 59 years old. Billy came in the Los Angeles Zoo when he was 4 years old in 1989, and Tina reached 44 in 2010, according to Zoo site. Asian elephants have a lifetime Nearly 60 years In the wild.
A spokesman for the Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass did not comment on Sunday. A representative of the Zoo, referred questions to the Public Prosecutor’s Office; A spokesman for this office said he could not comment on the outstanding legislation.
Los Angeles Bob Bloomingfield, a long -term defender, submitted a request last month to stop his transfer until the city council could review the possibility of sending it to a haven.
At the Budget Committee hearing on Monday, Blumenfield Verret urged a report that includes the costs and benefits of transportation to the Tulsa Zoo. He asked Verret to promise not to transfer elephants so that the city council could review and vote on the report.
“What I can promise is that I will always make decisions for the animal interest in the zoo, including elephants,” Verret, who was appointed by the mayor Eric Jerstei in 2019.
Blumenfield wondered again Verret at the budget hearing on Thursday, noting that the recent animal organization had offered the payment of the transfer of Billy and TINA to a haven.
Verret said that no transfer was set and noted that the La and Tulsa Gardens had not signed a contract.
Kelly also claims that public officials and elected officials have been closed from decision -making. In both budget listening sessions, UNIC Hernandez’s City Council member said that Verret has the ability to transfer elephants to Tolsa without the approval of the Council.
On Sunday, outside the Los Angeles Zoo, it was about 35 protesters, and many of them from the Los Angeles Animal Group, they keep the “Pelly Free” signs and hesitated “Mother’s Day is not an excuse for misuse of animals.” They urged visitors not to enter the zoo.
“The comprehensive problems under the carpet do not get rid of the problems,” said Elvia Sedano, residing in Los Angeles, who was protesting in the zoo on behalf of the elephants every Sunday for two years. “So we will return. We will continue to return until they do the right thing.”
David Zahnizer, writer David Zahnizer, contributed to this report.
