FREE LUCKY!
Lucky the last surviving elephant at San Antonio Zoo is lucky only in that she has managed to outlive her companions Alport and Ginny, both of whom have died prematurely in the last three years.
Elephants in the wild live in large groups and will walk for miles every day. Lucky has spent 46 years in her prison - a small, barren, concrete, zoo enclosure. It is estimated that over 60% of zoo elephants have arthritis or foot disease problems of the sort that killed her companions. Such an environment cannot meet either the physical or psychological needs of a large and social creature.
The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald Tennessee is willing to provide a more humane and natural lifestyle for Lucky - with 2,400 acres for Lucky to roam in with her new companions. The Sanctuary will also pay transport costs.
http://www.elephants.com/
After 46 years of imprisonment, the life of such a beautiful and innocent lady is more important than the few dollars from visitors who walk past her sad and lonely figure.
Other metropolitan zoos have accepted that the cruel confinement they provide can no longer be justified, and have closed their elephant exhibits.
Now is the time to Free Lucky!
Lucky the last surviving elephant at San Antonio Zoo is lucky only in that she has managed to outlive her companions Alport and Ginny, both of whom have died prematurely in the last three years.
Elephants in the wild live in large groups and will walk for miles every day. Lucky has spent 46 years in her prison - a small, barren, concrete, zoo enclosure. It is estimated that over 60% of zoo elephants have arthritis or foot disease problems of the sort that killed her companions. Such an environment cannot meet either the physical or psychological needs of a large and social creature.
The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald Tennessee is willing to provide a more humane and natural lifestyle for Lucky - with 2,400 acres for Lucky to roam in with her new companions. The Sanctuary will also pay transport costs.
http://www.elephants.com/
After 46 years of imprisonment, the life of such a beautiful and innocent lady is more important than the few dollars from visitors who walk past her sad and lonely figure.
Other metropolitan zoos have accepted that the cruel confinement they provide can no longer be justified, and have closed their elephant exhibits.
Now is the time to Free Lucky!
We the undersigned urge you to reconsider the future of Lucky your last surviving elephant. Please ask yourselves which would be better for her - continued confinement in a small concrete enclosure, or the freedom to walk many miles every day with other elephants?
With talk of animals welfare and conservation it is important to remember the natural "wild" lifestyle of elephants. They live in large social groups. They walk for tens of miles every day. Females such as Lucky do not live alone, they do not stand in barren concrete enclosures, and they do not live in such conditions for over 40 years!
They also live longer and breed longer - surely the best form of conservation.
There can be little educational value in keeping Lucky in such unnatural conditions. Many other large metropolitan U.S. zoos have considered the long-term alternatives for their elephants, have accepted that the small cramped conditions of a zoo cannot compare to the life of a wild elephant, have permanently closed their enclosures, and sent the elephants to sanctuaries.
The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald Tennessee is willing to care for Lucky. It is 5,000 times the size of your elephant enclosure. It will also arrange transport - at no cost to your zoo.
Such a move would be best for Lucky, and would show the world that San Antonio is capable of being a modern and forward looking city.
We thank you for taking the time to consider our views, and politely urge you to Free Lucky!
The truly ideal location for Lucky would be in the wild, however, if given the choice, naturally the next choice would be a sanctuary that would at least provide some freedom to roam.
I believe she should be freed because I believe all animals should be able to live in their own natural habitat. We don't have the right to kidnap animals and display them just for our viewing pleasure.
I have lived in San Antonio for most of my 37 years, and the zoo has always been a favorite place to visit. Our zoo is currently undergoing improvements/expansions, and I'm very happy to see that. I cannot imagine the costs and hours of planning that have been invested in the improvements, but I do believe that even with the improvements Lucky, the last remaining elephant at San Antonio Zoo, would be better off at the Elephant Sanctuary.
Our zoo has been losing it's larger mammals due to age, or captivity. We should give Lucky the chance to live out the rest of her years in a more appropriate setting.
going to a santuary
yes
Lucky should be allowed freedom at last - please allow Lucky to go to The Elephant Sanctuary where she can have the company of other elephants and be free!
i believe Lucky should live the rest of her years in a sanctuary, far from the zoo that has held her captive for 46 years. Her life is almost over why can't she feel freedom before then?
As a life long animal lover I find it hard to ignore the fact that the San Antonio Zoo has repeatedly let the people of the city down. When it comes to making a decision about an animals life it should always be what is best for the animal. Lucky is lonely, hurt, and needs companionship. I think the main reason the San Antonio Zoo is turning the cheek, is the money. It makes me sad to know that money comes before the well being of an animal in the eyes of the city. That reason alone will keep me and my family and whoever else I can convince away from the zoo. If they cannot properly care for animals they should not be in charge in them.
I request that you retire Lucky to the Asian Elephant Sanctuary so he can socialize instead of wasting away in solitary confinement.
Let Lucky live his remaining years free.
I remember when I was l little girl and they had a guerilla at the zoo. She broke my heart every time I saw her. My son and I feel the same way about Lucky. We've stop visiting the zoo.
She belongs with other elephants and she deserves the freedom to live the rest of her life in a santuary.
I believe that it is better for Lucky to have the freedom in a sanctuary out in the wild. I feel that it will only prolong her life if she were surrounded by other elephants.
I think Lucky should be freed because she is all only in her confinement and not given the freedom to roam as she pleases. She is only allowed to walk from point A to point B and that is it. She needs to have more room to roam and only freedom will give her that.
The confinement of wild animals like Lucky is inhumane and should be corrected by allowing them to live out their lives in an environment that resembles their natural habitat.
Lucky is doomed to the same consequences as her prior companions; a shorter life span followed by an early death. There is no pride or joy in living out a life of captivity in a small prison yard. I ask that you please allow Lucky to live out her remaining years in a sanctuary that more closely resembles her habitat than the cramped prison courtyard that she is currently on display in. Surely if you ask all of the children that visit her in the zoo which would they rather see: Lucky in her isolated concrete yard or in a 2400 acre sanctuary with other elephants the children would pick the latter. Please grant Lucky the opportunity to experience a better life with her own kind in a friendlier more natural environment where I'm sure she will live at minimum another 25 years. Thank you.
Frredom in a santuary is the only right answer.
Lucky should be moved to the larger santuary because it is the right thing to do for her. Put yourself in her place, then try to answer any other way. Let's work to get her to her new home before it's too late!
Freedom,will be the best for her survival.
she has served us as an atraction in a enclosed space in a Zoo for 46 years. Now we should give her the flavor of diying in liberty.
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1:01 am PDT, Jun 7,
Karen Williams, Connecticut
Freedom in a sanctuary of course! The choice with the word "freedom" in it is obviously the better of the two! EVERY animal just as EVERY human deserves the opportunity to live their life to the FULLEST! Lucky would have freedom to roam about, minus a zoo's confining quarters and restrictions. In that environment, Lucky is allowed to live SOLELY as an "entertainment factor" for gawking humans! In a santuary, Lucky would be given access to medical care, basic needs of water & food would be met and she'd now FINALLY, be able to roam about WHEN & WHERE she chose and mingle with her own kind! Please let her given name "Lucky", become a reality for her! |
I definately think that Freedom in a Sanctuary is the best possible thing for this elephant.
Because all animals deserve it.
Give her sanctuary!
Large wild animals such as Lucky need room to roam and to be with other elephants.
Living in the sanctuary is what is best for Lucky.
From all the information I have gathered on elephants, they are social animals that need to roam. Lucky needs to be removed from the zoo so she can enjoy the rest of her remaining years with other elephants just like her.
I believe Lucky should be in the sanctuary.
It is in her best interest.
FREEDOM!!! Elephants do not belong in a zoo. I've personally seen this elephant who is visibly unhappy. It kills me! Since my last visit to the San Antonio zoo, I had decided it was my last visit for this very reason.
Elephants need land to travel and they require companionship.
The sanctuary...
He's lost his fellow elephants and am certain he's wondering what's going on. What a relief to go somewhere that's open and he'll have fellow elephants to be able to actually roam with.
Do the right thing and release Lucky to The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald Tennessee. Give this girl a place where she can roam free, with a real family. Come on, it's the least you can do for her!
Free Lucky to the sanctuary.......
Luck should be freed.
Lucky should be freed. I have seen this lonely elephant in its cage and it depresses me. She should be free where she can live with other elephants.
I belive Lucky should be freed because she is lonely and she would be much happier if she had company.
fREe THAT DAMN ELEPHANT ALREADY NIGGAS
cAUSE ALL THE HATERS ARE GETTING LUCKY DOWN IN THAT DAMN ZOO CAGE! bITCHES
Freedom
Here in China, where the recent earthquake and aftershocks displaced hundreds of thousands of people - those who were 'lucky' enough to survive - frantic efforts are underway to relocate the traumatized and broken . Does not an aging and broken-spirited elephant merit at least a modicum of similar compassion? Your zoo's pathetic inmate - a breathtakingly intelligent creature with a complex and nuanced inner life - is now advanced in years, and has for its entire life been deprived of the chance to live and roam freely among her own kind. You are now presented with the gift of an opportunity to right a grievous wrong. Seize it. You MUST take the necessary step of recognizing Lucky's inherent dignity, and granting this noble and beautiful creature for once in its miserable life the ability to roam more widely among its own. Nothing whatsoever justifies further prolonging Lucky's solitary confinement, least of all the marginal profits realized from the odd zoo gawker. Do the right thing and be proud of yourselves, knowing that you made a difference. Richard Jackson, Hangzhou, China
Lucky should be in a sanctuary. God put these creatures on earth and they all are so, so special. If we can improve her quality of life, we have a God-given requirement to do so. If you don't agree with that, go read the Bible.
Please save lucky by freeing him!!!
It is wrong to keep animals in ways other than they are used to living in in the wild!
Give her peace in her old age.
Zoos are no place for such large and wonderful animals like elephants.
freedom
it just is not right to hold any animal captured in such a manner.
Please, think of Lucky as a being instead of an object. Would you rather be stuck all alone in a prison, or allowed to roam free?
Because it is wrong to keep her cooped up in an uncomfortable environment.
Lucky should be living in a Elephant Sanctuary where she will have more freedom & companions. Keeping her penned up is so cruel.
Because no one would like to be penned up in such a small enclosure & Elephants do like long walks nor should she be away from other elephants would be be company for her & a comfort.
Please free Lucky
I think that he should live out his life in freedom. Its not like cageing a little critter with few brain cells. Lucky is an intelligent creature an is unhappy not roaming with his own kind.
Please allow the poor elephant to spend the rest of its natural life in freedom. Wouldn't you wish the same for yourself, or your children?
It's our birthright to live in freedom & dignity. How can we take it away from others (whether man or animal)?
Lucky deserves to have a quality to his life. He has wasted enough time in that circus!
Freedom of course!
Sounds like everything about the sanctuary would be more beneficial for her and that keeping her somewhere so prison like is bound to kill her. Prison versus freedom - not too hard of a decision to make.
of course he is better off in a sanctuary, Doesn't anyone understand that animals have feelings too? Do you have no compassion?
He should have what is left of his life being able to walk about with some freedom and have some enjoyment of what he has left. He may be able to associate with other elephants rather than be isolated. Let him go!
After 46 years of living an inhumane confinement she more than deserves to live the rest of life in a sanctuary. She will be healthier with other elephants & the freemdom to roam.
Freedom!
Zoos in the last two centuries may have served educational purposes but those days are long gone. Today's lesson for our youth should be the importance of respecting our environment, animals included and ending unnatural and cruel incarceration of wild animals. Why not have film/video screenings of herds of elephants roaming in their natural setting- that would be much more educational- and you could charge those few $s people would have otherwise spent oggling a caged animal.
This animal MUST be free to roam with others of her species, to enjoy the rest of her life with her community!
Lucky should be freed because it is a proven fact that elephants have a strong sense of family & community and it is inhumane and insensitive for her to be kept in "solitary confinement" when there is the option available to her to be with her own kind! Put yourself in her place!
Take a cue from the Alaska Zoo and let Lucky go to a sanctuary specializing in the care of elephants.
Lucky doesn't seem so lucky to me!!
Sorry to learn of your zoo's conflict. Here in Alaska we had a situation year with our last remaining elephant. Eventually she relocated to a California sanctuary where she is now thriving. Our local zoo can now put resources towards the animals which do well here.
Hopefully your facility will come to the same conclusion and participate in Lucky's transfer to an appropriate elephant sanctuary. Cordially, Rita
Even the Anchorage zoo finally let Maggie, the lonely elephant go to the PAWS sanctuary in California. PLEASE let Lucky be with other elephants in a Sanctuary- keeping him incarcerated is unfair and unkind.
Lucky should be freed to a sanctuary specializing in the care of elephants, they are very social animals and deserve so much better than incarceration in a zoo.
Gee if Lucky is allowed to spend his last days in a sanctuary in Tennessee that is willing to pay expenses...why all means give that poor elephant some enjoyment in his last days. if you truly care for animals PLEASE allow Lucky to go to Tennessee. patrice podvojsky, nashua NH 03063
Freedom to move around and exercise
So she can be healthier and happier with some companions
fridom is better for wild animals
