LA Zoo's Elephant Exhibit Goes on Trial

After winding its way through the courts for five years, a taxpayer lawsuit against the Los Angeles Zoo regarding its controversial $42 million elephant exhibit has finally gone to trial. The lawsuit, filed by attorney David Casselman, seeks to stop the display of elephants in a small, inadequate exhibit that does not meet their needs. The zoo currently holds a male elephant Billy, and females Tina and Jewel, on little more than two acres of useable space.

Billy - one of three elephants in captivity at LA Zoo

Filed in 2007, the suit alleges ongoing illegal, damaging and wasteful actions by the zoo, including construction of an exhibit that does not provide the large space and natural conditions elephants need for health and well-being. The plaintiffs charge that inadequate conditions perpetuate captivity-caused foot and joint diseases that kill elephants prematurely, and that the risk of abusive handling practices still exists.

Witnesses in the trial include world-renowned elephant researcher Dr. Joyce Poole, wildlife veterinarians Dr. Mel Richardson and Dr. Phil Ensley, Emory University neuroscientist Dr. Lori Marino, Born Free Foundation CEO Will Travers, and The Elephant Sanctuary CEO Rob Atkinson. IDA Elephant Campaign Director Catherine Doyle, who has been fighting for the elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo since 2003, was also called to testify.

Tina & Jewel at LA Zoo. With little more more than 2 acres,
LA Zoo does not provide a usable, natural space for the elephants

The trial is attracting media attention and is sure to open the eyes of the public to the outdated practice of confining elephants in unnatural zoo exhibits that lead to terrible suffering and premature death. A win in the lawsuit would set a precedent that could send shockwaves through the zoo industry. The trial is expected to last through the week.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
In Defence of Animals (IDA) has been fighting for elephants confined in inadequate zoo displays that cause them to suffer and die prematurely as well as those who are chained and beaten in circuses. They have a Hall of Shame for zoos exploiting elephants in the USA. Sadly there are many.You can support IDA's Elephant Protection Fund here

Article thanks to IDA

Illegal animal trade on the rise in Indonesia

The slow loris -
popular illegal pet thanks to Paris Hilton

Regular monitoring of trade in protected species at bird markets on Java and Bali has shown a sharp rise in prohibited animals in February 2012. The surveys, conducted by Born Free partner ProFauna Indonesia, highlight the illegal trade that occurs routinely in these busy, but mostly legal, marketplaces. Studies throughout 2011 revealed an average of 42 individual animals from protected species being traded each month. Figures from this February, however, showed a total of 62 individual animals from 15 different species. By far the most common were slow loris, followed by green turtle, with others ranging from the black-winged starling to the otter civet. Trade in these animals contravenes the 1990 law on Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems, and can be punished with up to 5 years in jail and a fine of up to 100,000,000 Indonesian Rupiah (nearly £7,000). 

Speaking of slow loris...big pat on the back for http://www.slowlorispet.com/ which draws the unsuspecting potential loris buyer in and convinces them how much a slow loris is sooooo not the pet for you. Worth a read...and a giggly.

United States' labs source research animals from pound

Tiger RIP (pic from PETA)

PETA’s expose on the United States laboratory culture is hard to read about.

It seems that labs were going to the homeless cats and dogs’ home and buying cats to use in research!

The story of Tiger – or as the University of Michigan's Survival Flight training program called him “E8269” – is heartbreaking.

Fortunately PETA’s campaigning has caused labs to stop this practice…with cats.

Pigs are not so fortunate.

This story is reprinted from PETA’s laboratory campaign article.


“Tiger's intake report showed that he was a healthy, friendly cat when he entered a University of Michigan (U-M) laboratory. Five days later, Tiger was dead.

While Tiger's name before he was taken to the laboratory may never be known, once there he was treated as little more than a label, a cat known as "E8269." Given his stripes, we're honoring this handsome cat with a name more befitting him, Tiger.

Like the cats many of us share our homes with, he probably enjoyed being scratched behind the ears and purred when he saw his food dish. But U-M officials certainly didn't care about Tiger's likes and dislikes when they tossed him into their intubation training lab—a grim laboratory in which cats had plastic tubes forced down their windpipes—and then killed him.

PETA exposed the abuse of animals in the University of Michigan's Survival Flight training program. We showed that university officials misled the public when they said that all the cats in their labs—healthy, lovable cats like Tiger—were adopted after they endured hideous procedures in the course. In fact, records show that more than half of the cats used in recent years were quietly killed.

PETA's exposé and vigorous campaigning caused a public uproar. Unable to ignore our fury, U-M announced that it had ended its use of cats in its laboratories—a wonderful victory for cats!

The cats have been replaced with modern, effective simulators. But U-M plans to continue to harm and kill pigs for other procedures in this training course.

That means that gentle, intelligent pigs will have holes cut in their throats and chests and needles jammed into the tissue surrounding their hearts and will ultimately be killed just as cats like Tiger were. Pigs continue to suffer at U-M, and millions of other animals are suffering right now in cruel chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics tests, biology lessons and training exercises, and horrible experiments." PETA, 2012

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Make a donation to help PETA fight for the replacement of pigs at U-M with simulators and support all our lifesaving efforts to expose and stop cruelty in university laboratories or wherever it occurs

Speak out in your local areas about the use of animals in research. With the technology of today, there is NO NEED. EVER.

Be careful and do your research when you buy cosmetics and other products that may have been tested on animals. The company may use third party testing companies so don't be too trusting! For example, Avon and Estee Lauder have stated that they do no test on animals, however they do contract a Chinese company to do that for them. Sneaky sneaky Avon. Boycott these companies and make it know to your friends and family that you do and why.

Middle East Country takes first step in deterring wildlife pets

Pet Cheetahs, and all big cats, are illegal

In September 2011 images were published of the Porsche driver in Dubai walking his pet cheetah on a leash in the middle of a busy urban center?

The article highlighted the legal inequalities in the United Arab Emirates where trafficking illegal drugs in the United Arab Emirates can earn offenders a death sentence, but trafficking wild animals that are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) apparently goes unnoticed if committed by a rich Emirati.

Although the United Arab Emirates has been an official member of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Wild Species in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora, since 2002, officials appear to look the other way when blatantly illegal wildlife trafficking spills into the UAE’s public realm.

“No wild animal should be kept on leash and be walked through public places. Wild cats are dangerous to the public … Wildlife is always best in its natural habitats, not in human company.” Dr Khan, member of IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas

Ajman, one of the smallest of the seven Emirates is looking to be tougher on these crimes. Had this Dubai resident been a resident of neighboring Ajman, he could have received a massive fine and the animal would have been confiscated. This is the first Gulf Country to pass legislation which makes it clear that keeping lions, cheetahs, and crocodiles as pets is not ok.

Law 54

In 2011 the Ajman Municipality passed Law 54, which states that the possession of all wild animals and reptiles in homes, apartments, and hostels is illegal.

This move followed a spate of incidents of non-domesticated animals “escaping” residents and endangering other people. Hmmmm…wonder how that happened? Apparently this new law “protects the community from any danger and damages” that occur when crocodiles and other wild animals break free from their “owners.”

The Penalty

Ajman’s Executive Director of Public Health and Envrionment Khalid AlHousani states that the law was passed following surveys carried out by the department and complaints received from citizens and residents of the Emirate.

He added that anyone caught with a wild animal or reptile in their home (including lizards) will receive “a penalty of 10,000 Dirham (or $2,720) and the animal will be transferred to a zoo or reserve park.”

AlHousani says “Ajman is the first to pass such a Law. We hope that others will do the same.”

It’s a Start

Whilst I could comment on the discrepancies in this statement and the law itself with respect to the animals themselves and their welfare and treatment, it is a step in the right direction for the region.

At least a law has been created and hopefully will serve as a deterrent to people looking for their next pet.

Though $2,720 isn’t much of a fine to a Dubai resident driving a Porsche (into which he stuffs his pet cheetah), perhaps in Ajman is has more of a financial impact…. Time will tell.

For now, salute Ajman for recognising that wildlife shouldn’t live in an apartment nor be transported in a Porsche.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

When you travel, you may witness these kinds of distressing events. Get details where you can and report it to the authorities.

Contact wildlife trade monitoring and action organisations such as TRAFFIC , WWF and International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN