LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles resident is suing the director of the Los Angeles Zoo over its plans to transfer Asian elephants Billy and Tina to another zoo in Tulsa instead of an animal sanctuary, lawyers announced Sunday.
Plaintiff John Kelly’s complaint, which names Zoo Director and CEO Denise Verret as a defendant, echoes the concerns of animal rights activists who have lobbied for years for Billy and Tina to be moved to an accredited wildlife sanctuary. Those advocates were outraged when the zoo announced on April 22 that the elephants would be moved to the Elephant Experience and Preserve in Tulsa.
Zoo officials said the decision was made with the animals’ care and well-being as the top priority, and the relocation “will afford them the opportunity to live among other elephants.”…