Thursday, January 26, 2006

Shame on the National Zoo in Washington, DC: Due to Bad Press, they Play God and Kill Toni, the Abused, Sick, Asian Elephant Instead of Sanctuary

Shame on the National Zoo in Washington, DC: Due to Bad Press, they Disregard Offers to Pay to Have Her Moved to a Sanctuary and Instead Play God and Kill Toni, the Abused, Sick, Asian Elephant

Information on contacting the zoo is listed below.


I just wrote about the issue of Toni 2 days ago -

http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/01/national-

zoo-in-washington-dc-is.html

I can't freaking believe they killed her. I'm just blown away. Must have been the bad press - they didn't want it anymore.

There were plenty of groups offering assistance to have her moved to a sanctuary. The sanctuary was even going to pay for the move!

So it comes down to the National Zoo thinking they had the right to decide the fate of her life instead of giving her another chance.

IF THEY REALLY CARED FOR HER, THEY WOULD GIVEN HER A CHANCE AND WOULD HAVE MOVED HER TO THE SANCTARARY TO LIVE HER LIFE OUT IN PEACE. SHE DESERVED AT LEAST THAT.

Zoo officials say they were concerned that she might not survive the trip. Come on! What a joke! The point is that it would have been worth the try. There’s no reason why she would have not been able to survive it. In any case, it was certainly worth a chance.

The real reason is that she became a liability and if they would have let her go to the sanctuary they would have been open to scrutiny about abuse she received at the zoo. People at the sanctuary definitely would have found things that the zoo could never hide. So, to be safe, they just killed her.

Don't let her horrible life just end like that. Recognize it by boycotting zoos and circuses. Especially boycott the National Zoo in Washington, DC. After all, zoos and circuses are what put eventually killed her. Shame on the National Zoo.

Also, flood their email with letters of disgust and make calls and write letters:

General:

Email: nationalzoo@nzp.si.edu

Address:

National Zoo Information

DEVS

3001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20008

Business Office

Phone 202.633.4271

Fax 202.673.4890


Call and email the suits:

Executive Office

Jim Schroeder
Executive Director 202.633.3073
jschroeder@fonz.org

Executive Office Fax 202.673.4738

Board of Directors 202.633.3072
board@fonz.org

Development 202.633.3033

Marketing 202.633.3046

Host Special Events:
Private Parties and Picnics

202.633.3067
dan@fonz.org


202.633.3068
awilinski@fonz.org

Corporate Membership 202.633.3044

Event Sponsorship 202.633.3046


Tell them you won’t support them:

Support the Zoo

FONZ Office of Development

Web: Support the Zoo

Phone: 202.633.3046

Email: vinickj@nzp.si.edu


Call and email their pr wanks:

Media

National Zoo Office of Public Affairs

Web: Press Room

Phone: 202.633.3055

FONZ Office of Communications

Web: Press Room

Email: matto@fonz.org, shannon@fonz.org

Phone: 202.633.4085, 202.633.4077



Zoo Euthanizes Ailing Elephant

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn

/content/article/2006/01/25/AR2006012500930.

html?referrer=emailarticle

By D'Vera Cohn and Karlyn BArker

Washington Post Staff Writers

Wednesday, January 25, 2006; 12:21 PM

Toni, an ailing Asian elephant at the National Zoo, was euthanized this

morning "following a dramatic decline in her physical condition and

quality of life," zoo officials announced.

The Elephant House will be closed to the public through Sunday, but

visitors will be able to see the elephants in their outdoor yard.

Toni was 40 and increasingly hobbled by arthritis in her front legs, a

condition that zoo officials said stemmed from a leg injury at another

facility before she arrived at the Smithsonian Institution animal park in

1989. She was getting daily doses of ibuprofen--9,000 milligrams twice a

day--and zoo officials had said that they would euthanize her if her

condition worsened.

Zoo officials said Toni had a good appetite and normal disposition, but

continued to lose muscle mass and weight--more than 900 pounds in the past

three years. In recent days, visitors saw her leaning on her trunk in an

effort to support herself. Her condition declined dramatically over the

weekend, they said, and the decision was made yesterday to euthanize her.

The animal's failing health prompted some animal rights groups to push to

have Toni sent to an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee that would provide

softer ground and more room for her to move around. National Zoo officials

said she might not survive the trip.

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