Dear John,
For decades, Happy's story helped expose the profound injustice of keeping elephants imprisoned in zoos. But Happy was not the only elephant confined at the Bronx Zoo.
Patty, a 57 year-old Asian elephant, has spent more than 50 years in captivity at the zoo following her capture from the wild in India when she was a calf. Now the zoo’s sole remaining elephant, Patty remains confined, alone, in an environment that cannot meet her most fundamental needs.
Last week, Happy died at the Bronx Zoo after nearly five decades of imprisonment there. Despite years of public pressure and repeated calls for her release to a sanctuary, she never got to experience a measure of freedom or choice.
Patty does not have to suffer the same fate. There is still time to secure her transfer to an accredited elephant sanctuary—the closest possible alternative to freedom and an environment that can provide her with the ability to exercise autonomy and experience the life elephants are meant to live.
That is why we have launched a petition calling on the Bronx Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society to release Patty to a sanctuary.
This moment matters. Public attention is focused on Patty's freedom and decision-makers at the Bronx Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society need to hear from you. Help us reach 10,000 signatures in the next 48 hours.
Sign our petition today and urge the Bronx Zoo and WCS to release Patty to a sanctuary:
