Help Billy the elephant retire from the L.A. Zoo

Target:
John Lewis, Zoo Director, Los Angeles Zoo
Sponsored by: 
PLEASE PETITION TO CLOSE THE LOS ANGELES ZOO'S ELEPHANT EXHIBIT AND MOVE BILLY TO A SANCTUARY.









Visit http://www.geocities.com/mjm333/animals.html or this petition for the latest updates on Billy.  THANK YOU for your support!

Please see Billy's video taken at the Los Angeles Zoo on May 5, 2007 by clicking this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzXf9DSTOZk

******LATEST UPDATES******

December 5, 2008
Video footage from The Today Show
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/28048369#28048369


December 3, 2008
Council Halts LA Zoo's Pachyderm Forest
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Council-Halts-LA-Zoos-Pachyderm-Forest.html

December 2, 2008
"Who is Billy the Elephant and why should we care about him?"
http://www.examiner.com/x-1779-Los-Angeles-Pet-Rescue-Examiner~y2008m12d2-Who-is-Billy-the-elephant-and-why-should-you-care-about-him

**A Song for Billy: When Elephants Cry" by Mayuka Thais**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl-LQtOdEpg


May 23, 2008
The ruling is not final and the case is being appealed!
(news link no longer available)

May 13, 2008
Judge Throws Out Actor's Suit Over LA Zoo Elephant Exhibit

http://www.knbc.com/news/16253928/detail.html?rss=la&psp=news



February 15, 2008
Judge rejects actor's bid to stop LA zoo elephant exhibit

http://cbs2.com/californiawire/22.0.html?type=local&state=CA&category=n&filename=CA--ElephantLawsuit.xml

http://laist.com/2008/02/15/pachyderm_probl.php

February 6, 2008
Hearing was held and judge is currently reviewing documents to make decision on the preliminary injunction.  I will post any updates soon!

http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5545696&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1


January 21, 2008
Robert Culp Attempts to Shut Down Elephant Exhibit at L.A. Zoo

After prevailing against the city's motion in October contesting the legal sufficiency of the suit, the men now want a preliminary injunction shutting down the exhibit and stopping the ongoing construction pending trial of their lawsuit, which seeks to make both steps permanent.

________________________________________________
Urgent letters are needed to the following contacts:

MAYOR ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
200 North Spring Street, Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
mayor@lacity.org


ROCKY DELGADILLO
City Attorney
800 City Hall East
200 North Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Rocky.Delgadillo@lacity.org

JOHN A. CARVALHO
Deputy City Attorney
800 City Hall East
200 North Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
John.Carvalho@lacity.org

JOHN R. LEWIS
Zoo Director
Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA  90027

CONNIE MORGAN
Zoo President
Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA  90027
Email: cmorgan@lazoo.org


January 8, 2007


Los Angeles Zoo is once again listed in the top ten of IDA's list of Worst Zoos for Elephants.



Visitors at Los Angeles Zoo, adults and children alike, comment on the sad, repetitive behavior of the Zoo's lone elephant, Billy, as he incessantly bobs his head up and down, day in and day out, a pitiable display in response to his lonely and unnatural existence. Elephants do not naturally live in isolation and require social interaction with other elephants, yet Billy has been alone for more than three years. Turning a blind eye to his suffering, the L.A. Zoo is instead focused on an outrageously expensive %u2013 and taxpayer-funded %u2013 $40 million elephant exhibit renovation that will take almost two years to complete, and will only provide 3.5 acres, subdivided into four yards, for the earth's largest land mammals. Billy provides a clear example of how zoos put business interests far above the welfare of elephants. This is the L.A. Zoo's fourth appearance on the list. 

See IDA's complete list of Worst Zoos for Elephants:
http://www.idausa.org/news/currentnews/nr_080109.html





October 29, 2007 
Judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit against L.A. City.  Billy has hope!  Keep the signatures coming! 
http://cbs2.com/local/local_story_302135311.html


Additional history of Los Angeles Zoo's elephants: 
http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=524&pst=253490&archival=

In addition to signing this petition, please write letters to the following asking to them close the elephant exhibit and retire Billy.

Los Angeles Zoo officials
Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA  90027
(323) 644-4200 (Phone)
John R. Lewis,   Zoo Director
Connie Morgan, Zoo President %u2013 Email: cmorgan@lazoo.org

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
Antonio R. Villaraigosa
200 North Spring Street, Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
mayor@lacity.org
(213) 978-0600 (Phone)
(213) 978-0750 (Fax)  


Los Angeles City Councilmembers

councilmember.reyes@lacity.org
councilmember.greuel@lacity.org
councilmember.zine@lacity.org
councilman.cardenas@lacity.org
councilmember.parks@lacity.org
councilmember.perry@lacity.org
councilmember.wesson@lacity.org
councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org
councilmember.huizar@lacity.org
councilmember.hahn@lacity.org
councilmember.labonge@lacity.org
councilmember.weiss.lacity.org

Additional information for these Los Angeles Councilmembers can be found on this website:          http://www.lacity.org/council.htm
PLEASE PETITION TO CLOSE THE LOS ANGELES ZOO'S ELEPHANT EXHIBIT AND MOVE BILLY TO A SANCTUARY.









Visit http://www.geocities.com/mjm333/animals.html or this petition for the latest updates on Billy.  THANK YOU for your support!

Please see Billy's video taken at the Los Angeles Zoo on May 5, 2007 by clicking this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzXf9DSTOZk

******LATEST UPDATES******

December 5, 2008
Video footage from The Today Show
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/28048369#28048369


December 3, 2008
Council Halts LA Zoo's Pachyderm Forest
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Council-Halts-LA-Zoos-Pachyderm-Forest.html

December 2, 2008
"Who is Billy the Elephant and why should we care about him?"
http://www.examiner.com/x-1779-Los-Angeles-Pet-Rescue-Examiner~y2008m12d2-Who-is-Billy-the-elephant-and-why-should-you-care-about-him

**A Song for Billy: When Elephants Cry" by Mayuka Thais**
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl-LQtOdEpg


May 23, 2008
The ruling is not final and the case is being appealed!
(news link no longer available)

May 13, 2008
Judge Throws Out Actor's Suit Over LA Zoo Elephant Exhibit

http://www.knbc.com/news/16253928/detail.html?rss=la&psp=news



February 15, 2008
Judge rejects actor's bid to stop LA zoo elephant exhibit

http://cbs2.com/californiawire/22.0.html?type=local&state=CA&category=n&filename=CA--ElephantLawsuit.xml

http://laist.com/2008/02/15/pachyderm_probl.php

February 6, 2008
Hearing was held and judge is currently reviewing documents to make decision on the preliminary injunction.  I will post any updates soon!

http://www.myfoxla.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5545696&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1


January 21, 2008
Robert Culp Attempts to Shut Down Elephant Exhibit at L.A. Zoo

After prevailing against the city's motion in October contesting the legal sufficiency of the suit, the men now want a preliminary injunction shutting down the exhibit and stopping the ongoing construction pending trial of their lawsuit, which seeks to make both steps permanent.

________________________________________________
Urgent letters are needed to the following contacts:

MAYOR ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
200 North Spring Street, Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
mayor@lacity.org


ROCKY DELGADILLO
City Attorney
800 City Hall East
200 North Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Rocky.Delgadillo@lacity.org

JOHN A. CARVALHO
Deputy City Attorney
800 City Hall East
200 North Main Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
John.Carvalho@lacity.org

JOHN R. LEWIS
Zoo Director
Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA  90027

CONNIE MORGAN
Zoo President
Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA  90027
Email: cmorgan@lazoo.org


January 8, 2007


Los Angeles Zoo is once again listed in the top ten of IDA's list of Worst Zoos for Elephants.



Visitors at Los Angeles Zoo, adults and children alike, comment on the sad, repetitive behavior of the Zoo's lone elephant, Billy, as he incessantly bobs his head up and down, day in and day out, a pitiable display in response to his lonely and unnatural existence. Elephants do not naturally live in isolation and require social interaction with other elephants, yet Billy has been alone for more than three years. Turning a blind eye to his suffering, the L.A. Zoo is instead focused on an outrageously expensive %u2013 and taxpayer-funded %u2013 $40 million elephant exhibit renovation that will take almost two years to complete, and will only provide 3.5 acres, subdivided into four yards, for the earth's largest land mammals. Billy provides a clear example of how zoos put business interests far above the welfare of elephants. This is the L.A. Zoo's fourth appearance on the list. 

See IDA's complete list of Worst Zoos for Elephants:
http://www.idausa.org/news/currentnews/nr_080109.html





October 29, 2007 
Judge refuses to dismiss lawsuit against L.A. City.  Billy has hope!  Keep the signatures coming! 
http://cbs2.com/local/local_story_302135311.html


Additional history of Los Angeles Zoo's elephants: 
http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=524&pst=253490&archival=

In addition to signing this petition, please write letters to the following asking to them close the elephant exhibit and retire Billy.

Los Angeles Zoo officials
Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA  90027
(323) 644-4200 (Phone)
John R. Lewis,   Zoo Director
Connie Morgan, Zoo President %u2013 Email: cmorgan@lazoo.org

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
Antonio R. Villaraigosa
200 North Spring Street, Room 303
Los Angeles, CA 90012
mayor@lacity.org
(213) 978-0600 (Phone)
(213) 978-0750 (Fax)  


Los Angeles City Councilmembers

councilmember.reyes@lacity.org
councilmember.greuel@lacity.org
councilmember.zine@lacity.org
councilman.cardenas@lacity.org
councilmember.parks@lacity.org
councilmember.perry@lacity.org
councilmember.wesson@lacity.org
councilmember.garcetti@lacity.org
councilmember.huizar@lacity.org
councilmember.hahn@lacity.org
councilmember.labonge@lacity.org
councilmember.weiss.lacity.org

Additional information for these Los Angeles Councilmembers can be found on this website:          http://www.lacity.org/council.htm
I recently visited the Los Angeles Zoo and met Billy.  I was very saddened by what I saw. He displayed behaviors that of a sick and stressed elephant and this broke my heart. Zoos are just not capable to maintain such an intelligent giant. As of May 15, 2007, he is now the only elephant at the Los Angeles Zoo and on exhibit. He will be moved onto a new expanded exhibit in 2009, but Billy will remain sick and stressed, living a life unfit for an elephant.  Because Billy is a male elephant, he will be hard to place and this is why your help is even more important.
signature
goal: 5,000
 
2,145
signatures!
sign petition! Already a Care2 member? log in
Name

optional
Email
Address
City
State
Zip Code

Increase your signature's impact by personalizing your letter


 I agree to Care2's terms of service. We respect your privacy. Your email address is used to confirm your signature and is NOT displayed publicly.  
We signed the "Help Billy the elephant retire from the L.A. Zoo" petition!
# 2,145:
3:01 am PST, Jan 9, Sandra Penman, Australia  Report Signature Report abuse
what right does the human race have to cage any animal, least of all a large animal like an elephant, a gentle creature.
# 2,144:
7:57 pm PST, Jan 8, Maria de Lourdes Vilas, New York  Report Signature Report abuse
Elephants have strong social bonds and display a wide array of emotions and intelligence. These animals do not thrive in zoos - no matter how large the exhibit, the physical limitations of a zoo do not allow elephants the space they require. The live shorter lives and develop diseases (especially hoof infections) when in captivity. Please spare this intelligent, sensitive creature from one more day in a zoo.
# 2,143:
11:24 am PST, Jan 8, Raw Rii, Arizona  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,142:
10:58 am PST, Jan 8, Doris Whitten, Massachusetts  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,141:
10:09 am PST, Jan 8, Lisa Crawford, California  Report Signature Report abuse
Enough is enough. Let this elephant be an elephant with real room to roam. Stop the solitary confinement and tortore of this innocent creature.
# 2,140:
2:09 am PST, Jan 8, Jo Burkitt, Australia  Report Signature Report abuse
Why do you think Billy should retire from the Los Angeles Zoo?
# 2,139:
9:02 pm PST, Jan 7, Sharen Barr, South Carolina  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,138:
4:22 pm PST, Jan 7, Marieemma Tarnawiecki, Florida  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,137:
2:45 pm PST, Jan 7, Nora Jones, Australia  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,136:
2:43 pm PST, Jan 7, Sharon Collette, Georgia  Report Signature Report abuse
Please please let this poor soul go to a sanctuary.
# 2,135:
2:01 pm PST, Jan 7, Charlene Mateus, Pennsylvania  Report Signature Report abuse
It the decent thing to do... Have a heart - don't you want to retire some day.
# 2,134:
1:32 pm PST, Jan 7, Edmond Ciesielski, France  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,133:
1:31 pm PST, Jan 7, Hélčne Szczépaniak, France  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,132:
1:28 pm PST, Jan 7, Arnaud Henseval, France  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,131:
1:21 pm PST, Jan 7, Dimi Spasic, Serbia And Montenegro  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,130:
12:41 pm PST, Jan 7, Christian Burgess, Australia  Report Signature Report abuse
He Needs To Be With His Own, You can see By His Rocking that He Needs FREEDOM from A Concrete Prison
# 2,129:
10:37 am PST, Jan 7, Irena Atkocaitiene, Lithuania  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,128:
8:32 am PST, Jan 7, Barbara Bates, United Kingdom  Report Signature Report abuse
Billy has done his work, please let him retire and live out the rest of his life in a sanctuary
# 2,127:
11:25 pm PST, Jan 6, Jennifer Walker, Georgia  Report Signature Report abuse
He deserves to live the remainder of his life in a sanctuary that depicts that of his natural habitat....Plus Elephants are herd creatures...It isn't healthy for him to be all by himself. Be humane and let Billy go where he needs to go to get the best fulfillment out of life!
# 2,126:
10:40 pm PST, Jan 6, Tanja Soelkner, Hong Kong  Report Signature Report abuse
Elephants are very smart and sensitive creatues and deserve our respect and love.
# 2,125:
8:36 pm PST, Jan 6, Mirella Burgess, Australia  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,124:
7:27 pm PST, Jan 6, Florence Goodman, New York  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,123:
3:15 pm PST, Jan 6, Name not displayed, California  Report Signature Report abuse
Billy deserves a happier life!
# 2,122:
3:12 pm PST, Jan 6, Jacqueline Hernandez, California  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,121:
2:23 pm PST, Jan 6, Lynne Levine, New York  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,120:
11:06 am PST, Jan 6, Emily Hands, California  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,119:
10:47 am PST, Jan 6, Airian Lithe, Greece  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,118:
9:38 am PST, Jan 6, Debbie Allen, California  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,117:
9:38 am PST, Jan 6, Andrea Johnson, Illinois  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,116:
4:57 am PST, Jan 6, Marc Grawunder, Germany  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,115:
4:41 am PST, Jan 6, John Homeless, Minnesota  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,114:
4:00 am PST, Jan 6, Mick Cave, United Kingdom  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,113:
3:18 am PST, Jan 6, Bruce Way, Australia  Report Signature Report abuse
Why do you think Billy should retire from the Los Angeles Zoo?
# 2,112:
9:56 pm PST, Jan 5, Hubert Carroll, California  Report Signature Report abuse
When was the last time you stood in his paddock all day and stared out at people watching you?
# 2,111:
9:41 pm PST, Jan 5, Ulla Weiland, Finland  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,110:
8:57 pm PST, Jan 5, Aimee Parker, California  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,109:
7:38 pm PST, Jan 5, Terri Watanabe, California  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,108:
7:28 pm PST, Jan 5, Hannah Greenspan, California  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,107:
6:13 pm PST, Jan 5, Julie Diamond, California  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,106:
5:20 pm PST, Jan 5, CHRIS ANTHONY, California  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,105:
4:14 pm PST, Jan 5, Emily Deschanel, California  Report Signature Report abuse
Elephants are such incredible animals. They feel pain and can recognize suffering in other species. Incredibly intelligent, sensitive. Elephants walk miles each day in the wild. They require a huge amount of space. Elephants need special care and attention. Billy has been confined in such a small space for so many years. It is time to give him a new home with lots of space.. It is time to admit that Elephants really have no place in a zoo. It is the right, humane thing to do. We cannot turn our backs and pretend we don't hear them suffering when they would help us humans if we were in pain.
# 2,104:
2:49 pm PST, Jan 5, David Hornsby, California  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,103:
1:28 pm PST, Jan 5, John Schuller, Illinois  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,102:
11:46 am PST, Jan 5, Bonnie Snider, Florida  Report Signature Report abuse
# 2,101:
10:52 am PST, Jan 5, Donna Schwichtenberger, Illinois  Report Signature Report abuse
Please do the right thing for this poor animal. Let him live out his golden years away from this confinement that has robbed him of his dignity. Thank you!