Dear Wonderful Supporters,
All of you want to hear fact instead of fiction, truth instead of lies. Here is the first of three reports by Dr. Ensley, a world-renowned expert on elephants in captivity.
In this first installment of a three-part series, we examine Dr. Philip Ensley's eye-opening 2020 report about Billy, the LA Zoo's bull elephant. Billy suffers from repetitive behaviors like head-bobbing and swaying—classic signs of mental and physical distress caused by his environment. Learn more about what Billy endures and why urgent action is needed to relocate him to a sanctuary where he can finally thrive.
Here are some highlights from Dr Ensley's First Report:
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Mental Distress: “Billy’s welfare is compromised, having undergone longstanding mental and physical suffering, which appears as repetitive pronounced head-bobbing and swaying of his body.”
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Chronic Foot Issues: “Several of Billy’s toenails reveal chronic and worsening cracks...making it difficult to heal and allowing contamination of the tissues beneath, progressing to infection, abscess, and digital bone infection.”
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Zoo Management's Failure: “The LA Zoo’s management has not recognized the effect of their historical use of chains, bullhooks, and harmful training techniques...nor provided veterinarians adequate authority to ensure Billy’s health and welfare.”
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Life-Threatening Condition: “Billy’s health will worsen due to unrecognized progressive foot and musculoskeletal disease caused by his historical standard of care and current living conditions.”
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Urgent Relocation: “It is recommended for the Los Angeles Zoo to relocate Billy to P.A.W.S. as commitment to a recuperative level of long-term care.”
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