Billy
the Asian elephant was only 4 years old when he
was sold and shipped from Malaysia to Los Angeles. At that point, 36 years
ago, he became a captive resident at the city's zoo —
and he's been there ever since. Now, he lives
with companion Tina, a 59 year old
elephant.
But their time in zoos seems to be
nowhere near over. After the LA Zoo euthanized their
two other aging herd members, it is planning to send
them to yet another zoo in Tulsa,
Oklahoma.
Zoos are extremely stressful
environments for elephants. Elephants are
intelligent, social creatures who recognize each
other's calls, assign individual specific names to
members of their herds, mourn their dead, and show
incredible empathy and self-awareness.
Trapped in spaces
significantly smaller than the 2.7 million acres they
need to roam in the wild, they become distressed,
disturbed, and physically unhealthy. Living in
captivity cuts their lifespan, on average, by around
30-45%, and leaves them vulnerable to chronic health
conditions.
For all these reasons and more,
Tina and Billy do not belong at the LA Zoo — or at any
zoo at all. As the pop singer and icon Cher has
said: "Billy and Tina have served their time in
confinement... They deserve the chance to live out their
lives in peace and dignity."
Help us stand
with Cher and countless other advocates by urging the
City of Los Angeles to release Billy and Tina from this
ongoing cycle of captivity! Sign the petition to demand
it sending them to a reputable sanctuary
instead!
