Actress Lily Tomlin Urges Dallas Zoo To Retire Lonely Elephant
Updated 2:06 PM CST, Wed, Oct 22, 2008
Actress Lily Tomlin has joined the fight on behalf of critics who say the Dallas Zoo's elephant Jenny should be moved to a sanctuary, and out of the zoo.
A debate over Jenny's fate has been going since Jenny's long-time companion, Keke, died in May. Jenny, who at age 32 is a senior elephant, has lived for 22 years at the Dallas Zoo.
Tomlin met with Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert Thursday, telling him that Jenny should be retired to a Tennessee sanctuary.
"I will always visit with people, I will always listen," he said after speaking with Tomlin. "I'm still at the same point that I was."
Leppert wants Jenny to stay at the zoo as construction of a new four-acre elephant exhibit is under way.
On Thursday Tomlin talked to city council members and made a case for moving Jenny to a sanctuary.
"She has fallen to her knees screaming in agony when they treat these horrible abscesses that she gets on her feet as the result of being isolated and stationary," Tomlin said. "She does not run, she does not swim, she does not run in the mud, for the most part her enrichment is minimal."
However, Jenny's keepers complained that Tomlin has never been to the Dallas Zoo, and doesn't really know what she's talking about.
"Jenny does not have any abscesses on her feet, they are scrubbed and cared for daily," Karen Gibson said. " I have a team of people here that work with her all day long."
Gibson said she would like for anyone who has a question on the matter to come see their program for the elephant.
The Dallas Zoo now plans to speed construction of a new four-acre elephant exhibit with more room for new companions after rejecting earlier plans to send Jenny to a Mexican zoo.
"Yes, build a habitat, but retire Jenny in the meantime because she may not last two or three years," Tomlin said.
The comedienne is planning to do a benefit performance for Jenny in Addison Thursday night to raise money for keeping the fight alive.
First Published: Oct 16, 2008 1:26 PM CST
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
