Dear Kristin,
I'm thrilled to share some exciting news with you. Thanks to all of you who took part in our more than yearlong campaign, the city of Santa Ana, Calif., has just announced that it will no longer offer elephant rides. This means that the Santa Ana Zoo will stop supporting the miserable treatment of elephants who spend much of their lives chained by two legs, barely able to take a single step forward or backward, and are dominated and controlled by bullhooks—barbaric training devices that resemble a fireplace poker. These can be seen in video footage from Animal Defenders International (ADI) that shows trainers from Have Trunk Will Travel, the company that rented the elephants to the zoo for rides, repeatedly beating and shocking elephants in order to teach them "who's boss" and intimidate them into giving rides or performing tricks. Elephants are highly intelligent, social, and curious animals who deserve better than being forced to plod along in circles all day while being prodded by a bullhook for people's amusement.
In addition to actions by our supporters, celebrities, including Charo and Switched at Birth star Constance Marie, and other animal protection groups, including ADI and the Animal Protection and Rescue League, joined the effort to end the elephant rides at the Santa Ana Zoo.
Please take a moment to send a brief e-mail to Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and Gerardo Mouet, the executive director of the city's Parks, Recreation and Community Services Agency, to thank the city for making the compassionate decision to end the elephant rides—and please be sure to ask Mr. Mouet to make the same decision for the Orange County Fair in his capacity as a member of the Orange County Fair Board.
Thank you for speaking up for animals.
Sincerely,
Tracy Reiman
Executive Vice President
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
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