LOS ANGELES, CA – Joined by representatives from the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and In Defense of Animals, as well as former veterinarians and the former curator of the Los Angeles Zoo, Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) today presided over a town hall meeting focusing on the health and welfare of elephants in captivity in California.

The town hall meeting, which was held in the auditorium of the Ronald Reagan State Building, consisted of a panel discussion focusing on animal welfare concerns, regulation and enforcement, and the reintroduction of Assemblymember Levine’s Elephant Protection Act. The meeting also included a Q&A segment and provided the opportunity for public comment.

“Earlier this year I authored The Elephant Protection Act, legislation which required circuses and zoos in California to implement vital and long overdue reforms which will change the way they care for, house, and train elephants,” Assemblymember Levine said. “When the bill failed passage, I promised its opponents I wasn’t going away. It’s up to us, the people of Los Angeles, to do everything in our power to ensure the best possible care for the LA Zoo’s remaining elephants – Ruby and Billy – along with all other elephants in captivity in California.”

Assembly Bill 3027 would have made it a misdemeanor to use or be in the possession of a bullhook or chains while near an elephant. The bill also would have set minimum space requirements for elephants housed at stationary facilities or kept or maintained on traveling display. The bill stalled in the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee.

Shortly thereafter, in June of this year, tragedy struck at the Los Angeles Zoo. Gita – a 48-year-old Asian elephant – died suddenly after years of suffering from chronic and painful foot infections and arthritis while in the tight quarters of captivity, leaving only Billy and Ruby, the Zoo’s other two elephants.

Ruby, an Asian elephant, was Gita’s best friend, and under the Zoo’s current expansion plans she will have to be moved to a new habitat to make room for the African exhibit that will be Billy’s new home. She’s currently in solitary confinement at the LA Zoo, awaiting her next move.

Last year, the City Auditor released a report which highlighted the costs associated with transferring the LA Zoo’s elephants to a wildlife sanctuary. At that time, using taxpayer money to make that happen wasn’t an option.

Today, Levine helped unveil an incredible offer made by television star Bob Barker, from The Price is Right. Mr. Barker has undertaken a fundraising effort to move Ruby to the PAWS sanctuary which is run by Pat Derby, who was also at the town hall meeting. The PAWS sanctuary is willing to give Ruby a lifelong home where she can be with others of her species in an environment as close as possible to her natural habitat.

A Web site has been set up – www.rescueruby.org – where people can make a donation and, for every dollar they pledge, Bob Barker will match the amount, dollar-for-dollar, up to $300,000. For more information on the fundraising drive, contact Catherine Doyle at RescueRuby@idausa.org or (323) 301-5730.

NOTE:  Representatives from the Los Angeles Zoo, the California Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Have Trunk Will Travel and Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus were invited to participate, but declined or did not respond to the invitation.