Franklin Zoo (Closed) Elephant Kills Woman at Franklin Zoo
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What a sad situation
zooboy28
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Big Donation Secured
Well it appears that Franklin Zoo has been offered funding to transport Mila to the US, with a $500,000 donation from un-named businesses being organised:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7081517/500k-secured-for-elephant-Milas-transport
The bolded sentence is in contrast with the amount stated to be required for Mila's training and care over the next year: $570,000.
I figured corporate sponsorship would be pretty difficult to achieve, given the economy, and the fact that its a lot of money for something that will be relatively temporary, there will be no gains to them once she has gone (cf. sponsoring a zoo exhibit, for example). I hope the fundraising flops, either forcing PAWS to stump up the cash, or causing the plan to be abandoned, and the money raised spent on her future at FZ.
I wonder if the zoo are actually putting any effort into recruiting a new zoo operator, as this would seem to be most urgent, but there are no job ads for the zoo on the country's main job websites.
Well it appears that Franklin Zoo has been offered funding to transport Mila to the US, with a $500,000 donation from un-named businesses being organised:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7081517/500k-secured-for-elephant-Milas-transport
The bolded sentence is in contrast with the amount stated to be required for Mila's training and care over the next year: $570,000.
I figured corporate sponsorship would be pretty difficult to achieve, given the economy, and the fact that its a lot of money for something that will be relatively temporary, there will be no gains to them once she has gone (cf. sponsoring a zoo exhibit, for example). I hope the fundraising flops, either forcing PAWS to stump up the cash, or causing the plan to be abandoned, and the money raised spent on her future at FZ.
I wonder if the zoo are actually putting any effort into recruiting a new zoo operator, as this would seem to be most urgent, but there are no job ads for the zoo on the country's main job websites.
I know I'm not alone here, but this whole saga is really starting to get on my wick. They get offered $500,000 to send her to America and its still all "but we need another million for training her" -- for Christ's sake, get Tony Ratcliffe to walk her into a crate and send her on her way!! There's the medical checks etc to get taken care of first but, seriously, the whole procedure could be accomplished in very little time at all and at relatively little expense if they just pulled finger.
I note with interest the line in the above article, "There was no deadline for when the zoo hoped to have the money raised but the zoo staff are determined to get her to the sanctuary." -- in direct contrast to Jenny Chung's former threats about "give us the money by Sunday or the elephant gets it". Especially sickening were her comments to the effect of "Mila is so happy and healthy today...but we're going to kill her soon".
And all this nonsense about needing a million dollars to fund a zoo operator etc. Hire someone, open the zoo to the public again, and pay the staff the same as any other business does!! As zooboy28 says above, that's what is most urgent and yet seems to be what is least happening.
I note with interest the line in the above article, "There was no deadline for when the zoo hoped to have the money raised but the zoo staff are determined to get her to the sanctuary." -- in direct contrast to Jenny Chung's former threats about "give us the money by Sunday or the elephant gets it". Especially sickening were her comments to the effect of "Mila is so happy and healthy today...but we're going to kill her soon".
And all this nonsense about needing a million dollars to fund a zoo operator etc. Hire someone, open the zoo to the public again, and pay the staff the same as any other business does!! As zooboy28 says above, that's what is most urgent and yet seems to be what is least happening.
Mr Ratcliffe has a standing offer, recently renewed, to assist with the transfer of the elephant in any way possible. If his health is not up to going to the States with her himself, there is a competent person available to accompany her. This person has worked Jumbo successfully in the past.
There is no other person alive who knows this elephant like Tony Ratcliffe.
The worry is that, if the elephant is ever sent to the States, Tony Ratcliffe will not be considered PC enough to train her and accompany her.
One of the self appointed "experts" will do the job and a further tragedy could result.
A further worry is that Ms Chung might milk every last dollar out of the elephant and then have her euthanised, on some flimsy excuse, as revenge for her sister's death.
This farce has a long way to play out yet.
There is no other person alive who knows this elephant like Tony Ratcliffe.
The worry is that, if the elephant is ever sent to the States, Tony Ratcliffe will not be considered PC enough to train her and accompany her.
One of the self appointed "experts" will do the job and a further tragedy could result.
A further worry is that Ms Chung might milk every last dollar out of the elephant and then have her euthanised, on some flimsy excuse, as revenge for her sister's death.
This farce has a long way to play out yet.
Here's a couple of extra things to consider.
The NZ government is apparently insisting on an elephant manager and a couple of elephant keepers to replace Helen. But, when we were talking with Helen in February she told us that she often went away on consultancy jobs for the government and that she also worked as a horse vet at the various studs around Pukekohe. Who looked after the elephant during those times?????
Secondly, although there were begging boxes around the zoo for donations for the elephant, the only evidence of any plans for any expenditure were a very detailed set of drawings on display for ......... a new entrance building and shop!
Thirdly, particularly for Yassa who seems to have some knowledge of the place - is there any concern that the PAWS facility is situated on a major earthquake fault line? My only experience with elephants and earthquakes was gained during the Newcastle quake in Australia but I can tell you that the elephants well and truly reacted to a quake that was 200 kilometres away. Is that sensitivity not a concern for the elephants at PAWS?
The NZ government is apparently insisting on an elephant manager and a couple of elephant keepers to replace Helen. But, when we were talking with Helen in February she told us that she often went away on consultancy jobs for the government and that she also worked as a horse vet at the various studs around Pukekohe. Who looked after the elephant during those times?????
Secondly, although there were begging boxes around the zoo for donations for the elephant, the only evidence of any plans for any expenditure were a very detailed set of drawings on display for ......... a new entrance building and shop!
Thirdly, particularly for Yassa who seems to have some knowledge of the place - is there any concern that the PAWS facility is situated on a major earthquake fault line? My only experience with elephants and earthquakes was gained during the Newcastle quake in Australia but I can tell you that the elephants well and truly reacted to a quake that was 200 kilometres away. Is that sensitivity not a concern for the elephants at PAWS?
They had started planning for that several years before Mila arrived.
this is actually something I'm really confused about, and you brought it up earlier in the thread as well. The Franklin Zoo had keepers to look after the animals obviously. But what happened to those keepers? They didn't all get killed by the elephant! So why is the zoo being looked after by keepers from Hamilton and Auckland? The keepers were presumably competent enough to look after the animals while the zoo was open, why not when its closed?Steve Robinson said:
In the ongoing controversy with the Toronto elephants earthquakes have been brought up as a concern but the big one is tuberculosis. Mila would be much better off staying on her own side of the ocean.
I'm sure many will jump in and deny the tuberculosis issue but documents obtained under the U.S. Privacy Act are irrefutable. So irrefutable it forced Pat Derby to retract her public statement of "there is NO TB at PAWS". Both Rebecca & Sabu's necropsy reports show they both died with TB present. Another elephant that died with TB present was Tinkerbelle. PAWS has, for whatever reason, removed all references to her from their website. It's as if she never existed.
".... develop the roads...... "???? The same roads that she has travelled on for the past 30 or so years?
What is a stronger word than farce?
TB, in itself, is not an issue of great importance. There are a number of elephants around the world that have tested positive for some strains of TB and still safely interact with their keepers and the public. Following their deaths, some of these elephants have been found not to have TB at all.
It is a concern, however, that PAWS has misrepresented the position on a number of occasions. Makes you wonder what else they might be misrepresenting.
And, for those who think that I might be PAWS bashing, let me tell you that I have no objections to Jumbo living in the best possible place for her - be that FZ or PAWS or anywhere else.
However, I have huge problems with all the lies that have surrounded her - right from the time that she left the circus and long before Helen Schofield's death.
I interpreted it to mean the road leading to the zoo, assuming that maybe its a dirt road or something. I haven't been there so I can't say. However she obviously made it to the zoo alright in the first instance. To be sure it sounds more like they are just cramming in as much additional stuff as they can on the back of the elephant.
zooboy28
Well-Known Member
I wonder if they mean the roads within the zoo itself, as the elephant enclosure is on the opposite side of the zoo to the road frontage. The roads in the surrounding area aren't anything great, but they likley see a fair bit of truck movement daily, mostly stock trucks in that area, so I wouldn't think they would be improving those.
What a bloomin` farce.
IF, there is half a million in the pipeline and the best thing for her is to go, then whats the hold up?
I dont like circus`s, but if Jumbo could speak, I wonder what life she would prefer....back with Tony Ratcliffe or...........................?
IF, there is half a million in the pipeline and the best thing for her is to go, then whats the hold up?
I dont like circus`s, but if Jumbo could speak, I wonder what life she would prefer....back with Tony Ratcliffe or...........................?
a new article from today, much the same as others so I just bolded the differing comments.
Donations from around the world to save elephant | Voxy.co.nz
I honestly can't get past this sort of comment: "Mila needs accredited specialists who can take care of her health needs, build her confidence, and provide training to get her to a point where she is able to travel." They are making her out to be this timid fragile little flower, and furthermore no-one from the zoo seems to have made any sort of reference to the public statements from the zoo prior to Helen's death that the elephant was supposedly almost ready to travel!
Donations from around the world to save elephant | Voxy.co.nz
I honestly can't get past this sort of comment: "Mila needs accredited specialists who can take care of her health needs, build her confidence, and provide training to get her to a point where she is able to travel." They are making her out to be this timid fragile little flower, and furthermore no-one from the zoo seems to have made any sort of reference to the public statements from the zoo prior to Helen's death that the elephant was supposedly almost ready to travel!
The roads I travelled on to get to Franklin Zoo were sealed, however
Mila travelled in her own trailer in her final circus years, but if she is in a crate she will probably be transported on the back of a large truck. Some of the roads to Franklin Zoo have quite a drop right on the edge, and narrow. That might be what they are referring to? Just a theory
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