Seattle's Mayor Ed Murray and city council now hold the key to either suffering or sanctuary for Bamboo and Chai. As you read this, the Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) is preparing Asian Elephants, Bamboo, 47 and Chai, 35, to travel in crates for their 2,000 mile journey to "Tornado Alley" at the Oklahoma City Zoo where it will be even colder in winter and where they will have even less room to roam in peace. However, Mayor Ed Murray and the city council still have an opportunity to get Bamboo and Chai to a sanctuary, but only if they act quickly!
In Defense of Animals (IDA) would consider it an inter-state and national travesty should the WPZ not be stopped by the city of Seattle, Washington from sending Bamboo and Chai to the Oklahoma City Zoo, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This is why we, along with the group Friends of Woodland Park Zoo Elephants are encouraging all United States residents to write to Seattle city officials. What happens to Bamboo and Chai is now an inter-state matter that affects us all. The Oklahoma City Zoo has been on IDA's Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants list in the past and we have submitted complaints to the USDA for violations of the Animal Welfare Act for their dangerous breeding practices. IDA agrees that these elephants could, and should, go to a comfortable sanctuary where they can live out the rest of their lives in peace. In Oklahoma, these already beleaguered elephants would end up spending even more time either in cold weather or confined indoors in a small enclosure.
Succumbing to years of pressure, the WPZ had finally announced the closure of its pathetic elephant exhibit last year. Seattle residents, the mayor, and city council overwhelming expressed their desire for the WPZ to retire the elephants to a sanctuary with decent temperatures for these tropical, Asian elephants. Instead, the WPZ has shown further contempt and disregard for these elephants, Seattle's mayor and city council, and Seattle citizens by planning to send them to the Oklahoma City Zoo.
In response to the WPZ's announcement, on February 26, The Seattle Times Editorial Board wrote a strong letter in support of sanctuary for the elephants, saying "Seattle city leaders must save elephants Bamboo and Chai from being sent to another zoo" and admonishing the WPZ for "dismissing more humane alternatives." The Times stated, "By choosing to send its elephants to another zoo in Oklahoma City, the board ignored the preference for sanctuary by Mayor Ed Murray, a majority of the Seattle City Council ...." and most of the Seattle's citizens. They conclude by pointing to the city council members as having "the power to stand up to the Woodland Park Zoo for Chai and Bamboo." IDA agrees and urges city council members to fulfill their duty to Bamboo, Chai, and Seattle's citizens.
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw: 206-684-8801
Councilmember Mike O'Brien: 206-684-8800
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen: 206-684-8808
Councilmember Sally Clark: 206-684-8802
Councilmember Tim Burgess: 206-684-8806
Councilmember Nick Licata: 206-684-8803
Councilmember Bruce Harrell: 206-684-8804
Councilmember Kshama Sawant: 206-684-8016
Councilmember Jean Godden: 206-684-8807
Please contact the Mayor and city council and urge them to take legislative action to ensure Bamboo and Chai are sent to a sanctuary, NOT the Oklahoma City Zoo! Submit our letter below to the council members of Seattle.
Seattle's Mayor, Ed Murray, can only receive comments in submitted form on a website; we hope you'll take a moment to write something kind, yet compelling:
You can also make a friendly, but firm comment on the Mayor's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/MayorEdMurray and through his Twitter account: @Mayor_Ed_Murray.
Please also make a polite phone call to the Mayor – and the City Councilmembers (below).
Mayor Ed Murray: (206) 684-4000
For more information, please read.
