VFTA Blog

Animal suffering should never be passed off as entertainment!

Behind the colorful lights and dramatic music of many traditional circuses lies a disturbing truth: elephants, tigers, and other animals are forced to perform through fear, intimidation, food deprivation, and intense pain.

In addition, there is a hidden message that is sent to everyone who sees these shows.

“The circus teaches people that domination is entertainment, and cruelty is normal; that’s a dangerous message.”
— Melya Kaplan, VFTA Founder

This week, a powerful lawsuit was filed that could change the fate of two elephants—Billy and Tina—who have been suffering in captivity at the Los Angeles Zoo for far too long.

Filed on behalf of John Kelly by Melissa Lerner of Lavely & Singer, the lawsuit demands that Billy and Tina be released to a legitimate elephant sanctuary—one with open space, natural terrain, and, most importantly, other elephants, AND NOT TO ANOTHER ZOO.

Why This Lawsuit Matters

• Billy has been at the LA Zoo for over 30 years.
  He exhibits repetitive head-bobbing—a recognized indicator of zoochosis, or psychological trauma in captive animals.

• Tina is kept alone, in direct contradiction to what scientists and veterinarians know about elephant social needs.

• Both elephants are aging, and their health is deteriorating.
  Without intervention, they face the very real risk of dying in the zoo’s confined and unnatural conditions.

The LA Zoo has announced plans to send Billy and Tina, the last two elephants at the zoo, to the Tulsa Zoo—a facility known for elephant breeding, not for providing the expansive, natural environments elephants need to thrive.

This decision ignores public outcry, scientific evidence, and basic compassion.

Sanctuaries offer elephants acres of soft earth, trees, hills, and rivers—environments that are essential to their mental and physical well-being. Zoos confine them to small enclosures with hard-packed surfaces, which lead to deadly foot and joint problems.

Councilmember Bob Blumenfield has introduced a motion to send Billy and Tina to a true sanctuary. In a recent hearing, he asked LA Zoo General Manager Denise Verret to delay the transfer until the City Council can vote on the motion. She refused.

This blatant disregard for the City Council’s authority—and for the will of the people—is unacceptable. The LA Zoo is part of the City of Los Angeles, and the Mayor must step in.

We are calling on Mayor Karen Bass to intervene immediately to stop this transfer and allow the motion to be heard.

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