Help the Animals at SF Zoo

Supervisor Matt Gonzalez has introduced two ordinances to help SF Zoo animals:

-- Ordinance 041461 prohibits the SF Zoo from keeping elephants.

-- Ordinance 041463 authorizes the Animal Care & Control Department to investigate complaints regarding animal care at the SF Zoo and to work with Zoo officials to remedy any problems.

Deniz has been working for a long time to improve conditions for the animals at the SF Zoo, and she is strongly IN FAVOR OF BOTH ORDINANCES (background info on the Zoo & ordinances is provided at the end of this e-mail).

Both ordinances have been referred to the City Services Committee. The members of that committee are:

-- Chair: Sup. Bevan Dufty, Dist. 8, Bevan.Dufty [at] sfgov.org, tel: (415) 554-6968, fax: (415) 554-6909

-- Sup. Fiona Ma, Dist. 4, Fiona.Ma [at] sfgov.org, tel: (415) 554-7460, fax: (415) 554-7432

-- Sup. Sean Elsbernd, Dist. 7, Sean.Elsbernd [at] sfgov.org, tel: (415) 554-6516, fax: (415) 554-6546.

Please e-mail, call, and/or fax Supervisor Dufty to request that he SCHEDULE A HEARING on both ordinances ASAP so that they can be put before the full Board.

Please e-mail, call, and/or fax Supervisors Dufty, Ma, and Elsbernd, urging that they RECOMMEND to the full Board that both ordinances PASS.

Please e-mail, call, and/or fax your Supervisor, if not one of the above, to let him/her know how important it is that these ordinances make it before the Board and PASS. Contact info for other Supervisors is available at: http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp.

Please include YOUR ADDRESS when you contact your Supervisor so that he/she knows that you are a constituent (i.e, a vote!).

Deniz (one of the local activists monitoring this issue) would appreciate having copies of any letters copied to her at deniz_b at yahoo dot com or fax: (973) 215-1444.

Background:

The SF Zoo does not, and cannot, provide adequate conditions for elephants. This is because of the cold, foggy, damp climate, and the limited space available there. In the wild, elephants travel as much as 50 miles per day; obviously, the SF Zoo offers nowhere near that amount of space.

Earlier this year two elephants, Calle and Maybelle, died at the SF Zoo. Both were roughly half the natural lifespan of elephants in the wild (70 years). Both also suffered from chronic, captivity-induced health problems (foot and joint diseases, arthritis, digestive problems, etc.).

There are two surviving elephants at the SF Zoo. There are two credible sanctuaries, providing 40-100 acres of space for elephants, to which these elephants could go. The SF Zoo resisted sending the surviving elephants to a sanctuary, wanting instead to move them to another zoo. The SF Board of Supervisors unanimously voted in June to "urge" the SF Zoo to move the elephants to a sanctuary. The Zoo agreed, although it has not yet done so.

In 1997, SF residents voted to give the Zoo $47 million to improve conditions for animals. Most of that money has been spent, but on amenities for people. Enclosures for hippos, rhinos, seals, birds, wild cats, bears, and other animals need immediate improvement in size and condition.

Rather than acquiring other animals, the Zoo should focus its attention and resources on correcting current problems and caring for the animals already there.

An SF Chronicle news article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/10/19/BAG4G9BT0B1.DTL