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PSO said:
@Wisp O' Mist As someone who has worked at Two Tails for over a decade, you really are ignorant with your comments. Have you even been there?

Asha has never gotten along with other elephants and has hurt other elephants in the past when introduced (again showing your ignorance of the situation)
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In-between the time I wrote my initial comment and you replied, I've found out that you're a member of the family that owns Two Tails Ranch.

So... you're hardly an unbiased source of information about the facility. I'm more inclined to put faith in the hundreds of violations that the place has been cited for over the years. Regardless of anyone's personal opinion on using elephants for entertainment purposes, that is unacceptable.

I was already aware of Asha's past issues with other elephants. That being said, continuing to isolate her instead of giving her opportunities to interact with other elephants via protective contact can't be doing her mental health any good.
 
Again, your making assumptions. I am not part of the family.

She does have PC contact with elephants, so your wrong there as well.

I know the other elephants and incidents that happened. The statement isn't biased, it's fact.

You can have what opinion you want about elephants used as entertainment. I do not have a problem with it.
 
PSO said:
Again, your making assumptions. I am not part of the family.
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Then why did you post this:
PSO said:
Someone who is part of the family that runs it
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On a thread specifically about Two Tails Ranch?

PSO said:
She does have PC contact with elephants, so your wrong there as well.
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Your own post did not state that, but I am pleased to have been proven wrong about that specific aspect of Asha's life at Two Tails.

PSO said:
I know the other elephants and incidents that happened. The statement isn't biased, it's fact.
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What exactly is this referring to?
 
It's run by a family, I'm in no relation to them expect working there.

Your above post
 
Speaking of families, it sounds like the 'new ownership' of the zoo is Gretchen Mogensen (who was already basically running it) and her brothers.

Facebook

I'm so curious about what things are like now that they've 'reopened' for the weekend but I also don't want anyone here to have to go check it out to investigate.

EDIT: Also, I noted elsewhere when the animals were confiscated that many of the large animals listed on the zoo website as part of their collection were not among the animals either seized or returned, including mountain lions. On her public social media channels, Gretchen Mogensen had shared that her beloved mountain lion (which she has many photos of herself cuddling inside the animal's enclosure) was "safe" from the seizures for the time being. It definitely sounds like there may have been some advance knowledge of the confiscations and some of the animals were deliberately sent elsewhere in advance, including Asha and possibly the mountain lion.
 
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How sad… after reading the article, it seems pretty clear to me she was moved in a rush to get her off the property before the raid. The lack of proper permits makes it pretty clear. The Florida veterinarian who helped facilitate this shady transfer deserves more punishment than they’re receiving.
 
Again, her movement was already planned and it was FWC who dropped the ball on getting the permits in a timely manner, not the vet or either facility.
 
PSO said:
Again, her movement was already planned and it was FWC who dropped the ball on getting the permits in a timely manner, not the vet or either facility.
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So you’re admitting that even though the FWC did not issue a permit, the transfer was done anyways?

edit: and if it wasn’t the vet’s fault why does the article specifically state they were reprimanded?
 
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@Wisp O' Mist your idea of abuse is quite different from mine, I say that as someone who has worked with a multitude of elephants for over 15 years in all kinds of settings

@BlobfishBoy I was with the vet when FWC called him. That's how I know the ball was dropped on the other end. And the only reason he was contacted was FWC was catching flack from the state of VA.

In the end Asha will live her life out at TTR (with other elephants, which seems to be what most groups have been crying about for nearly a decade) in a PC situation (the other thing thing getting people up in arms). So if this is "abusive" so be it.
 
PSO said:
@BlobfishBoy I was with the vet when FWC called him. That's how I know the ball was dropped on the other end. And the only reason he was contacted was FWC was catching flack from the state of VA.
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You didn’t really answer my original question. It really does seem like regardless of who dropped the ball, she was transferred without the proper permits. Even if FWC should’ve issued permits sooner, it’s not a great look to just go ahead with the transfer anyways with a raid on the horizon.
 
If it was an illegal or even improper move action would have been taken. Especially with FWC getting heat from VA....FWC doesn't like when it's their fault.

And, again, the raid was not known about. It was planned pre Covid.
 
PSO said:
If it was an illegal or even improper move action would have been taken. Especially with FWC getting heat from VA....FWC doesn't like when it's their fault.
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It's not in question if the transfer was illegal or not, we know that it was.

"“Because she was technically moved illegally, does that mean this could be reversed?” said Denise Gaug, a longtime volunteer with FACE. “We don’t know. It’s an unprecedented situation.”"

From the recent Washington Post article on Asha.
 
PSO said:
@Wisp O' Mist your idea of abuse is quite different from mine, I say that as someone who has worked with a multitude of elephants for over 15 years in all kinds of settings
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"The videos indicate the staff viewed Asha as a potential threat rather than an animal in their care."

"“One of the worst things you can ever do to an elephant is let it learn that it can make a decision,” a trainer said in the video. “The only time you hit an elephant is for intimidation, to show them that you can.”"

"Years later, a Natural Bridge employee would testify to state investigators that they often saw Asha chained up in a barn, left standing in her own urine and feces. The witness reported seeing Asha give 359 rides over a two-day period."

So you're totally a-okay with brutish handling and unsanitary living conditions then? Because that's what the Washington Post article has to say about Asha's treatment at Natural Bridge Zoo.

"But the document also noted that Asha’s trainer “was somewhat antagonistic towards me,” and “his first words to me were him ordering me not to call the elephant by name,” the official wrote. The report noted when Asha blew water in the investigator’s direction, the trainer responded “she was a good elephant for spitting on me.”"

And what of the unprofessional conduct on the part of the trainer as described above? You think that's an appropriate way to treat a state investigator? Because again, that's what the Washington Post article has to say about Asha's life at Two Tails Ranch.
 
Wisp O' Mist said:
"The videos indicate the staff viewed Asha as a potential threat rather than an animal in their care."

"“One of the worst things you can ever do to an elephant is let it learn that it can make a decision,” a trainer said in the video. “The only time you hit an elephant is for intimidation, to show them that you can.”"

"Years later, a Natural Bridge employee would testify to state investigators that they often saw Asha chained up in a barn, left standing in her own urine and feces. The witness reported seeing Asha give 359 rides over a two-day period."

So you're totally a-okay with brutish handling and unsanitary living conditions then? Because that's what the Washington Post article has to say about Asha's treatment at Natural Bridge Zoo.

"But the document also noted that Asha’s trainer “was somewhat antagonistic towards me,” and “his first words to me were him ordering me not to call the elephant by name,” the official wrote. The report noted when Asha blew water in the investigator’s direction, the trainer responded “she was a good elephant for spitting on me.”"

And what of the unprofessional conduct on the part of the trainer as described above? You think that's an appropriate way to treat a state investigator? Because again, that's what the Washington Post article has to say about Asha's life at Two Tails Ranch.
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Asha’s life is so sad! She’s gone from one hell to another!
 
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