Animal-Protection Groups Back Lawsuit to Stop the Separation of Elephants at L.A. Zoo.

LOS ANGELES -- LOS ANGELES, May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) along with other animal-protection groups, including In Defense of Animals, Last Chance For Animals and Venice Animal Alliance, today announced its backing of a groundbreaking lawsuit filed this morning against the Los Angeles Zoo to prevent the impending separation of two female elephants, who have lived at the zoo as close companions for the past 16 years. The suit contends that the separation is unwarranted and seriously threatens the animals' mutual welfare.

The lawsuit, brought by Los Angeles resident and taxpayer Catherine Doyle, argues that the Los Angeles Zoo's controversial decision to sever the relationship of a 41-year-old African elephant named Ruby and a 45-year-old Asian elephant named Gita by sending Ruby to the Knoxville Zoo, Tennessee violates the city's obligation towards taxpayers and destroys public policy and trust by endangering the physical well-being of these animals. As a publicly funded entity, the L.A. Zoo is responsible to taxpayers for the care and management of its animals and therefore any harm caused to Ruby and Gita by the move is injurious to Los Angeles city residents and taxpayers.

"It's infuriating to me whenever animals are treated as unfeeling objects and that is precisely the way this zoo is treating these elephants -- how else could the L.A. Zoo shatter the obvious bond between Ruby and Gita," asks Gretchen Wyler, VP HSUS Hollywood Office and member of the L.A. Zoo Animal Welfare Committee. "Female elephants are highly social animals, forming deep and lasting friendships and experiencing stress and grief when they are separated. It's so true that elephants never forget."

The Los Angeles Zoo maintains that the move is necessary to achieve the objective of species-specific animal collections in the nation's zoos. The Knoxville Zoo currently houses only African elephants, while the L.A. Zoo is aiming to keep only Asians. Ironically, Gita, the Asian elephant, who will remain in Los Angeles, will ...