For Immediate Release:
June 27, 2008

Dallas - Today, PETA sent an urgent letter to Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, the City Council, and Dallas Zoo Director Gregg Hudson offering to pay their travel expenses to visit The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. At the sanctuary, Jenny--the zoo's 32-year-old lone African elephant--could roam hundreds of lush acres, enjoy the company of other African elephants, and receive expert care. PETA's offer comes in the wake of the zoo's decision to close its elephant exhibit. Jenny's only companion, Keke, was euthanized in May.

The zoo says that it plans to ship Jenny to a zoo in Mexico--a country where she would not be afforded even the minimal protections of the Animal Welfare Act or the oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Jenny could find herself alone again, because the Mexican facility only houses Asian elephants. Elephant experts recommend that Asian and African elephants not be housed together because of behavioral differences and the risk of transmitting diseases from one species to the other.

"It would be a tragedy to ship Jenny out of U.S. protection to Mexico when she can live out the rest of her days in peace at The Elephant Sanctuary right here in this country," says PETA Director Debbie Leahy. "Dallas officials have nothing to lose by accepting our offer to see the sanctuary for themselves--and Jenny has everything to gain."

The Honorable Tom Leppert
Mayor of Dallas
Dallas City Council
Dallas City Hall
1500 Marilla St., Rm. 5EN
Dallas, TX 75201-6390

Gregg Hudson, Executive Director
Dallas Zoo
650 S. R.L. Thornton Fwy.
Dallas, TX 75203

We are writing to express our dismay that the city of Dallas has apparently chosen to send Jenny--the zoo's remaining elephant--to a foreign zoo and to extend an offer to send you to visit The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tenn., so that you can see firsthand the exceptional care that a sanctuary would offer Jenny.

It is very concerning that the zoo would consider sending Jenny to a country where she would not be afforded even the minimum protection of the Animal Welfare Act or oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We also question how Jenny's social needs will be met in Mexico--Jenny is an African elephant, and it appears that all the elephants at the zoo in Mexico (Africam) are Asian elephants. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' "Standards for Elephant Management and Care," when forming new herds, Asian and African elephants should not be placed in the same enclosure because of behavioral differences between the two species and because African elephants can carry a strain of herpes virus that can be fatal to Asian elephants.

We respectfully urge you to visit The Elephant Sanctuary so that you can make an informed decision by exploring all available options. Can we please hear from you about this matter?