Activists, a Grammy-winning icon and a new lawsuit are all advocating for two beloved elephants amidst rumors that the Los Angeles Zoo is secretly going to ship them away.
Los Angeles resident John Kelly announced Sunday that he is suing the L.A. Zoo, claiming the city is quietly preparing to transfer two asian elephants, named Billy and Tina, to another zoo called the “Elephant Experience and Preserve” in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Billy – oftentimes referred to as “the world’s saddest elephant” – and Tina have been at the center of controversy over their welfare for years.
“The L.A. Zoo now intends to send Billy and Tina to another zoo where they are going to continue to suffer under the same inhumane conditions, and this is unacceptable,” Melissa Lerner, attorney for John Kelly, told KTLA’s Gene Kang.
Lerner said they’ve filed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order, hoping a judge will hear their arguments and keep Billy and Tina from being moved right away.
Grammy-winning artist Cher spoke out on behalf of the beloved animals, posting to X with a link to send forms to Mayor Karen Bass and calling the potential move secretive, saying it would only lead them to “another cage.”
“The Tulsa zoo is not a sanctuary,” Cher said in a statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “Billy and Tina have served their time in confinement. They deserve the chance to live out their lives in peace and dignity.”
For at least 15 years, Cher has been advocating for moving Billy to a sanctuary.
“Billy has been locked up since 1989,” Cher’s statement reportedly read. “Tina was held captive in a private zoo prior to being placed in the LA Zoo. They have been through hell. I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to rescue, rehabilitate and safely relocate elephants to sanctuaries.”
In a 2018 post to X, Cher said she had just come from City Hall, testifying on behalf of Billy.
“He needs an independent examination & to be removed from LA County Zoo before he dies,” says the singer’s X post. “He is a cash cow/elephant for them… nothing more! He lives a solitary life that is destroying him day by day.”
In 2014, the artist posted to X, saying, “I am not an animal activist, I got involved with Billy because the LA Zoo is responsible for his mental breakdown.”
On Sunday, protestors gathered outside the L.A. Zoo, demanding that Billy and Tina get the love and retirement they deserve.
“We’re here to get these elephants out,” said Sandra Bell, an animal rights advocate. “They’ve been standing in isolation for way too long. We’re not here for any other reason than to get Billy and Tina out of here.”
Animal rights advocates claim the zoo misled the public into thinking the elephants were heading to a peaceful retirement at an accredited wildlife sanctuary.
“These are massive animals, and they deserve companionship,” said Simone Rendell Shelby, another animal rights advocate. “I don’t see why they’d be sending them to another zoo.”
While the zoo defends its decision, saying it’s what’s best for the elephants’ welfare, city leaders are divided, with some councilmembers backing Mayor Bass and the zoo, while others, including councilmember Bob Blumenfield, demand that the zoo delay its decision until other options are explored.
KTLA reached out to the office of the LA City Attorney about this lawsuit, but a spokesperson responded, saying that they don’t comment on pending litigation.
No exact move date has been set, and for now, Billy and Tina’s future remains uncertain.
