In The News

Dallas Zoo

Background

Following the premature death of 39-year-old Keke in May, Jenny, a 32-year-old African elephant, was left alone. Rather than send Jenny to a U.S. sanctuary, where she would have the company of other African elephants and live in a spacious, natural habitat, the Dallas Zoo announced it will ship Jenny to Africam Safari Park, a “drive-thru” tourist attraction in Puebla, Mexico. This move is entirely wrong for Jenny, who has suffered serious behavioral problems caused by noise and the presence of vehicles (see below). Jenny needs the quiet of an elephant sanctuary, not the constant commotion of passing of cars and buses carrying tourists through her display area.

Once out of the country, Jenny will not be protected by U.S. animal welfare laws or by independent oversight through regular inspections by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The Dallas Zoo claims that Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accreditation is enough to guarantee her well-being, but this simply is not the case. The AZA is a trade association funded by member zoos that it in turn accredits. Compliance with its standards it strictly voluntary. Member zoos have been cited and fined for abusing elephants, demonstrating that AZA-accredited facilities require independent oversight.

Why send Jenny out of the country?

Jenny’s aggression and behavioral problems, combined with the fact that she’s non-reproductive (zoos want baby elephants who bring in throngs of paying customers), makes her undesirable for most zoos. By sending this "problem" elephant out of the country, she will be out of sight and out of mind of the American public.

Jenny’s bio

Originally born in the wild, Jenny was donated to Dallas Zoo in December 1986 at age 10. She has a history of extreme aggression and abnormal and self-injurious behaviors sparked by changes in her environment, including loss of a companion, increased activity and noise, construction, and vehicles. Zoo records report that Jenny stopped eating, playing, interacting, drinking, etc. for days following the presence of fire trucks near her exhibit in 1995. The Zoo sedated Jenny with a powerful tranquilizer from 1996 to 2001, stopping only after federal regulators intervened, calling the treatment "highly unconventional." Although many of Jenny’s behaviors have subsided, Zoo records indicate a concern that she can regress.

Read a more detailed chronology of Jenny’s life at Dallas Zoo.

Send Jenny to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee

The Elephant Sanctuary (TES), a 2,700-acre, internationally recognized elephant refuge, is dedicated solely to caring for elephants and can provide for Jenny’s needs. It is USDA-licensed and accredited by The Association of Sanctuaries. Africam Safari, at 4.9 acres and subdivided into even smaller yards, would give Jenny less than 2% of the space she’d have at TES. Other AZA-accredited zoos have sent elephants to the Sanctuary, which provides high quality daily and veterinary care. Importantly, Jenny would have the quiet, therapeutic environment she needs, and continue to be protected by U.S. animal welfare laws.

What you can do

It’s wrong to truck Jenny to a tourist park in a foreign country where she will lose the protection of U.S. anti-cruelty laws. You can help Jenny by urging the Mayor and Dallas City Council to send her to a sanctuary.

Write and call:
Mayor Tom Leppert
Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla Street, Room 5EN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Main Phone: (214) 670-4054
Fax: (214) 670-0646
Email: tom.leppert@dallascityhall.com

Paul Dyer
Director, Dallas Park and Recreation Department
Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla Street, Room 6FN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390
Phone: (214) 670-4100
Fax: (214) 670-3205
Email: paul.dyer@dallascityhall.com

If you live in Dallas, please call your city council representative. Council contact information is available at: http://dallascityhall.com/government/government.html