Celebs Lose Fight To Move Billy The Elephant

Access Hollywood - January 28, 2009 1:44 PM PST
Story photo: Celebs Lose Fight To Move Billy The ElephantAccess Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- A host of celebrities including Cher and Bob Barker were unsuccessful in their bid to encourage the Los Angeles City Council to stop the completion of the LA Zoo's $42 million Pachyderm Forest on Tuesday.

Cher , Bob and Lily Tomlin were among the celebs who turned up to a LA City Council meeting in downtown LA, urging council members to abort plans to complete an elephant habitat at the zoo, and to see the zoo's lone elephant, Billy, transferred to an animal sanctuary.

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"From what I understand about GLAZA [the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association] is it's always been done this way, there have always been elephants in the city zoos throughout history... and that's what makes it right. It doesn't make it right," Cher said.

"We've had other things that we're ashamed of. We've had slavery, you know, it wasn't right."

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Many in the auditorium were wearing "Free Billy" shirts - but even more were clad in green shirts supporting the zoo. And not every celeb was on the side of Bob and Cher -- Betty White and Slash even made a PSA pushing for the completion of the pachyderm project.

The LA Zoo won the day -- and zookeeper Joshua Sisk told Access that celebs needn't worry about the animals in their care.

"No disrespect to Bob Barker, Halle Berry, Cher or any of these people but if you want to know about acting or game shows, talk to the celebs," he said. "If you want to talk about animal care, talk to the professionals."

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  • Miki M
    I don't know that I am against the idea of Billy being taken care of in a zoo as long as he is properly cared for, BUT I think they should get Billy some company. Loneliness would kill anyone. He sure does look sad in that picture. Would you want to be forced to be all alone for the rest of your life? Me neither.
    report abuseposted July 29, 2009 5:42 AM PDT
  • Sean S
    If you are interested in the story of Billy (or other captive elephants for that matter), I highly recommend reading Hannah's Dream by Diane Hammond. It is a fictitious story with very similar facts to the Billy debacle. Google it. Well worth the read if you are interested in this story.
    report abuseposted April 29, 2009 8:43 AM PDT
  • loretta
    U TELL EM '''' CHER
    report abuseposted February 6, 2009 8:52 AM PST
  • loretta
    U TELL EM '''' CHER
    report abuseposted February 6, 2009 8:52 AM PST
  • awchew
    Hey Chicken, go play on a highway - I'm from Alaska, our Maggie the elephant went to PAWS in CA and is being well taken care of, can't say enough good about PAWS. Maggie was a lone elephant and it was killing her, some have posted our economy shouldn't worry about a elephant, IF we have put them in a zoo they are our responsibility to be taken care of.
    report abuseposted January 28, 2009 3:20 PM PST
  • comment
    what do they know about elephants and why do they care. this is a very weird story.
    report abuseposted January 28, 2009 3:15 PM PST
  • peachy girl
    Look at the state our nation is in! There are more important things than elephants!
    report abuseposted January 28, 2009 2:35 PM PST
  • jl
    eco-freaks strike again :(
    report abuseposted January 28, 2009 1:03 PM PST

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