VFTA Blog

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.

>> See what you can do now...

Billy and Tina Deserve Sanctuary—Not Another Zoo!

Last night, our incredible founder and director Melya Kaplan appeared on NBC Channel 4 News to speak out about what’s next for Billy and Tina, the two beloved elephants at the L.A. Zoo.

🎥 Watch the segment now:

Melya Kaplan made it clear: these elephants deserve freedom and healing in a true sanctuary, not another zoo. After years of advocating
for Billy’s release, the world is finally listening. But the fight isn’t over yet.

For over thirty years, VFTA has been at the forefront of the fight to close the LA Zoo elephant exhibit. We made a film called “Elephants and Man: A Litany of Tragedy,” which told the story of how elephants were brutally forced into captivity and showed the horrific abuse of elephants at the LA Zoo. We made a film on Billy, showing the abuse he lives with every day! We continue to counteract the zoo’s lies. We continue to tell the truth. Cher and Lily joined us, lending their powerful voices to free Billy. 

In spite of the fact that the majority of the LA City Council continued to ignore the abuse, VFTA did not! We watched Gita die. We watched Tara die. We watched Jewel die. We watched Shaunzi die. It broke our hearts and strengthened our resolve. We will not give up until this cruel exhibit is closed for good!!