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ANIMAL WATCH — After decades of public advocacy, scientific consensus, celebrity appeals, and even a judge’s rebuke, the Los Angeles Zoo is quietly preparing to transfer its two elephants, Billy and Tina, not to a sanctuary where they could live out their lives in peace—but to another zoo in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The move has drawn swift and widespread condemnation from animal welfare advocates, legal experts, civil rights leaders, and celebrities including Cher, who has campaigned for Billy’s freedom for more than 15 years. “They have been through hell,” Cher said in a statement. “Billy and Tina have served their time in confinement. They deserve the chance to live out their lives in peace and dignity.”
Cher recently joined a growing legal effort to halt the transfer, filing a declaration in support of an emergency lawsuit that seeks a temporary restraining order to block the move and allow the L.A. City Council to review an alternative proposal to relocate the elephants to a qualified sanctuary. “Sanctuaries offer acres of soft, natural terrain, trees, rivers, and freedom,” Cher wrote, citing her work relocating Kaavan, the “world’s loneliest elephant,” to a Cambodian jungle sanctuary.
A Decision Made in the Shadows
The controversy deepened after it was revealed that L.A. Zoo Director Denise Verret, under the administration of Mayor Karen Bass, had approved the transfer without public input or transparency. Critics argue that the Tulsa Zoo, misleadingly referred to as an “Elephant Preserve,” is not a sanctuary but simply another zoo enclosure—one with a documented history of elephant welfare concerns.
The move contradicts a unanimously approved motion by Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, passed in May 2024, which requested a formal report on the wellbeing of Billy and Tina after the deaths of two other zoo elephants, Shaunzi and Jewel. That report was never delivered—until weeks ago, when the zoo abruptly announced the planned relocation.
“This is a betrayal,” said longtime L.A. resident John Kelly, who filed the lawsuit. “It’s a backroom decision that defies science, public will, and the democratic process.”
Legal and Scientific Consensus
The lawsuit argues that any decision regarding the elephants’ future must be grounded in transparency and science. It cites a landmark ruling by Judge John Segal—now an appellate justice—who found after a full trial that the zoo’s failure to acknowledge elephant suffering in captivity was "delusional."
More than 38 zoos across North America, including those in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Oakland, have shut down their elephant exhibits in recent years, citing overwhelming scientific evidence of the psychological and physical harm caused by captivity.
Renowned elephant specialist Dr. Chris Draper added, “Moving Billy and Tina to another zoo with slightly more space does not address the fundamental mismatch between captivity and elephant biology. It’s irresponsible and unscientific.”
Voices from Civil Rights and Legal Communities
The fight to save Billy and Tina has transcended animal welfare, drawing support from civil rights groups and legal institutions. The Congress of Racial Equality of California (CORE-CA) condemned the planned transfer, stating:
“To ignore the suffering of Billy and Tina is to betray the very values of compassion, dignity, and moral responsibility that we exist to uphold.”
The Multicultural Bar Alliance of Southern California, representing over 20 minority bar associations, warned that moving the elephants before the City Council could vote on Blumenfield’s motion would be a "violation of the democratic process." The L.A. County Bar Association’s Animal Law Section echoed the demand for sanctuary, calling it a “mainstream, compassionate, and evidence-based approach.”
A Global Sanctuary Offer — at No Cost to the City
David Casselman, founder of the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary and Ecoflix Foundation, offered to fund the entire relocation of Billy and Tina to a lush, jungle sanctuary in Cambodia—at no cost to Los Angeles.
“They know the truth,” said Casselman. “Elephants don’t live in zoos—they suffer and then die there. The zoo’s record of double-digit elephant deaths proves this grim reality.”
Casselman emphasized the urgency: “The only chance for Billy and Tina to recover is in a sanctuary. This is why I’ve offered to fly them to Cambodia, just as we did with Kaavan. The L.A. Zoo must stop misleading the public.”
A Defining Moment for Los Angeles
The story of Billy, in particular, has galvanized international attention. Kept alone for years, exhibiting psychological distress through repetitive swaying, Billy has become a symbol of the debate over keeping intelligent, social animals in confined spaces. For many Angelenos, his case represents more than animal cruelty—it’s a test of the city’s moral leadership.
Animal rights groups, legal professionals, civil rights organizations, and everyday residents are now calling on Mayor Karen Bass to intervene and halt the transfer. Many are urging the public to contact City Hall and demand a transparent hearing on the elephants’ future.
“This isn’t just about two elephants,” said one advocate. “It’s about who we are—and who we aspire to be—as a city.”
Take Action
Concerned residents are urged to contact Mayor Karen Bass and their City Councilmembers to demand a halt to the transfer and a public hearing on sanctuary relocation.
Learn More
🔗 Free the Wild – Cher’s Elephant Advocacy Group
🔗 Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary
🔗 Ecoflix Foundation
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