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Massachusetts for Elephants (MFE) mourns the passing of Ruth, a 64-year-old Asian elephant housed at the Buttonwood Zoo in New Bedford. She was brought to the zoo in 1986. Her life there was marked by isolation, confinement, and increasingly debilitating medical issues. Over the years, multiple attempts have been made by animal advocates to have Ruth and Emily, the other Asian elephant at the Buttonwood Zoo, released to a sanctuary. None has been successful.
We call for the release of all medical records relating to Ruth as well as a full, independent investigation of her care over the years. Her tragic death cannot be undone, but lessons can be learned to inform policy and regulations covering elephants in captivity…