I was crushed to no end when I got home from an extended business trip last night and checked in with my 2nd favorite weblink (The Elephant Sanctuary) to find one of my favorite elephant's had passed away, way way way before her time (only 34 years old). I was trying to catch some of the 'girls' on the Elecam before dark, but was shocked to see a new weblink titled "In Memory of Tina" smack me in the face like an anvil.
The Elephant Sanctuary (TES) in Tennessee is where all those beaten, abused, blind, and crippled female elephants go that you see in circuses and zoos after their lives are almost all used up. TES tried their best, but lo and behold they weren't able to get her away from the zoo soon enough. Too many zoo visitors still wanted to ride on Tina's back, so the zoo wanted to squeeze a few more bucks out of her spirit. Men my age aren't supposed to sob, but I lost it when I started reading all the links attached to the following weblink.
I am hurting and so **cking pissed right now I can hardly see straight. It is probably a very good thing that I don't live in Vancouver, BC right now, because this DUer would probably be in the clink for going to the zoo to beat the puss out of the executive staff the way I feel today.
Tina was crippled up by the Vancouver Zoo's inadequate care and facilities for over 30 years. Not so much by Tina's personal caretakers who can only do so much with resources allowed and truly cared, but by the scum-sucking zoo management focused on the almighty dollar.
Tina had NEVER laid down in the past year. Slept standing up, leaning on a wall. The zoo never gave her an enclosure large or comfortable enough to lay down, so even at the sanctuary it was an alien thought to her to lay down and take a load off her infected pustulated feet.
All I ask is that you, your family, and friends not lend your financial support by going to zoos and circuses (or Seaquariums). They need to be put out of business ASAP and the animals returned to the wild or to refuges if release to their home lands and waters is not feasible. Thanks for taking the time to read this. If your an animal lover, support the sanctuary. Thanks again.
http://www.elephants.com/tina/tina_inmemory.htm http://www.tappedintoelephants.com/asp/index.php