Activists rally for the L.A. Zoo's Pachyderm Forest; Bob Barker donates to the opposition

Demonstrators, from L.A. Zoo employees to guitar hero-turned-zoo activist Slash, gathered at City Hall this morning to show their support for the zoo's planned Pachyderm Forest. 

But Slash and his fellow celebrity zoo-supporter, Betty White, aren't the only famous folk with strong opinions about Billy the elephant's living arrangements.  As our colleague Corina Knoll at the L.A. Now blog reports, former "Price is Right" host and outspoken animal advocate Bob Barker is putting his money where his mouth is:

[Los Angeles City Councilman Tony Cardenas'] office today announced that Barker would donate $1.5 million to help cover the cost of Billy's transfer to [the Performing Animal Welfare Society, a sanctuary in San Andreas], where he would join Ruby, a female African elephant who left the L.A. Zoo in 2007 and who also benefited from a $300,000 donation from Barker.

"The thousands of Angelenos who agonized over Billy's tragic life at the Los Angeles Zoo will rejoice to learn that now Billy will have the opportunity to roam over countless acres at the PAWS sanctuary, living the life that nature intended for him," Barker wrote in a letter last week to Cardenas.

Activists on both sides of the debate won't have to wait much longer for a decision about Billy's future home -- whether it be the Pachyderm Forest or PAWS.  From L.A. Now:

The arts, parks, health and aging committee has a special meeting scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the issue and will submit a report to City Council, which will meet Wednesday to make a final decision on the project, which has already cost about $12 million.

-- Lindsay Barnett

RELATED:
Jack Hanna announces his support for the L.A. Zoo's controversial elephant exhibit
Conservationist Daphne Sheldrick: Billy the elephant belongs in a sanctuary
Zookeepers to City Council: Let Billy the elephant stay at the zoo

Photo: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Pam]

I was @ this demonstration this morning. I was horrified @ the behavior of the zoo supporters. They came over to the area where the "save Billy" people were and started yelling and shaking there signs @ them. Then when the Billie supporters were trying to hold a press conference, the zoo employees walked in front of them and yelled and chanted so they could not be heard. I am now supporting the save Billie people. The zoo employees supporting keeping Billie in the zoo were childish in their actions, obviously desperate...

[Time2Reflect]

Hold the phone Pam. I was at the same event and was shocked by the reactions of the IDA people. In the beginning, they were off by themselves and had no interaction with the zoo supporters. When their press conference started, the zoo supporters followed with their signs. The IDA people started verbally insulting the supporters, one older man in particular calling them "losers" and "elephant killers," directing his comments at a group of kids and the rest. Is that supposed to be mature? How about the redhead IDA supporter who ran in front of the cameras before the zoo's press conference started? That's not childish? When you have a small group of ten individuals spouting half-truths and mis-information against a crowd of 200 focusing on the facts, then the IDA supporters' actions are definitely what I would call desperate. Obviously.

[Barbara H.]

Pam. Really? The zoo planned a rally, and once it was put out on the P.R. wires, the activists found out and staged a counter-rally. They approached the media that was already set up to cover the zoo, and directed them to cover their press event first. A few of the anti-zoo folks were cordial and professional, but others were outrageously antagonistic toward zoo workers. As the crowd grew, it was more and more and more and more zoo supporters, way outnumbering the anti-zoo people. If the protesters could not be heard, it's because of the huge crowd of supporters cheering on the zoo staff, the passing honking cars, etc. If the protesters did not want to antagonize the zoo people, they would not have tried to upstage them by calling a press conference at the same place. They were clearly trying to steal the show, but failed.

As for desperation, that's what I'd call Bob Barker's $1.5 million offer, conveniently announced to grab headlines away from the zoo rally.

[Laura T]

I was at the LA Zoo when this demonstration occurred. I went to the Zoo with no opinion on the issue of the new elephant exhibit or where Billy should live.

At the demonstration, however, I was shocked at the behavior of the zoo supporters. They were really loud and obnoxious. I was standing near the Save Billy (or whatever they're called) people who were quietly holding some signs for Billy to go to a sanctuary. The zoo people came over and started insulting everybody, even me. When I tried to tell them I wasn't involved, they just kept insulting me.

I started talking to one of the Save Billy people and she explained what the controversy was about. She told me that Billy was exhibiting distressed behavior, head bobbing and the like and that even the new exhibit wouldn't give him enough space.

I then talked with a zoo supporter. He didn't seem to be concerned about Billy. His concern was more for the zoo. He said displaying animals was their business and the animal rights people were interfering with that business. He said "It's none of their business what we do with these animals! After all, they're just animals, right?"

Afterward, I went into the zoo and saw the elephant, Billy. I have to say, he did seem to be in distress. His head was bobbing constantly. It didn't look normal to me. He didn't look very happy. Just my two cents.

[Sherry]

Save Billy!!!!!! Let him go!!!!!

[Heather in LA]

I was at the council meeting today. The LA Zoo had to bus in their supporters whereas the Free Billy people all came on their own.

The people who spoke for the Zoo Exhibit mostly worked for the Zoo or were volunteers there. The other people that spoke were representatives of the various labor unions that wanted to keep their members employed.

In contrast, the people who want to free Billy were actually concerned for his welfare not their own.

The LA Zoo will have to return 5 million dollars immediately if Billy is sent away. They are only interested in protecting their bottom line.

[Douglas Richardson]

I think that it would be prudent for a representative from the media to find out precisely how Billy will be kept at the PAWS sanctuary. Specifically: what contact will he have with African elephants as there is a herpes virus that African elephants carry that kills Asian elephants; what percentage of the 24 hour period will he be kept locked inside on concrete; will he be able at any point to associate with other elephants; how many elephants are there in the USA that really are being kept in very substandard conditions with no hope of an improved home that would benefit from the space that Billy is proposed to occupy at PAWS? In this post 9/11 Iraq war age, please tell me that is still such a thing as a trully investigative journalist in America.

[Paraglider7]

Leave it to you zoo supporters to denigrate a generous animal advocate like Bob Barker. He'll rate at least a gold medal when he gets to Heaven.

As for the rest of you, I can picture St. Peter looking sternly at you as you try to get through the pearly gates and saying "Where was your compassion for Billy, one of my beloved creations? All you cared about were your own selfish agendas and hardened your hearts to Billy's suffering. Begone."

[Time2Reflect]

Paraglider ...

Get off your high and mighty perch. We're all a bit tired of it by now.