Posted on 02/11/2006 12:24:58 PM PST by presidio9
Bob Barker pleaded with city officials to close the Los Angeles Zoo's pachyderm exhibit and allow its three elephants to retire to a sanctuary.
Appearing jovial when he arrived at Friday's City Council meeting, the veteran game show host and longtime animal rights activist turned serious when he began to talk about the zoo's elephants, Gita, Ruby and Billy.
"I came here today to ask, to beg you ... to vote to release those elephants from that zoo," Barker said. "They have lived in misery."
Gita and Ruby are ill, leaving only Billy on display. A fourth elephant, Tara, died in 2004.
Several zoos nationwide, including San Francisco's, have closed their elephant exhibits.
Barker denounced plans to build a 2-acre, $19 million exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo that supporters say would provide a spacious and more natural environment for the elephants. The 82-year-old host of "The Price is Right" said it was too costly and would likely be obsolete by the time it is completed.
The exhibit was not an issue on the council's agenda and no vote was taken.
"There's only one solution to the tragic, the embarrassing elephant problem going on at (the zoo), and it's to release those elephants from captivity and place them in a sanctuary," Barker said.
OK, it may be off-topic, but I think Bob Barker has the best job in the world, as host of The Price Is Right. It's no wonder he never retired!
I agree with Barker on this.
I was going to say that this article sounds like a lot of elephant shit, but he's probably right. The poor things need a LOT of land and they are so intelligent.
Actually, we should just close all zoos. No zoo is the same experience for an animal as living in the wild. It is not good enough for nutty animal rights activists that they build a spacious enclosure. They want no animals in zoos period.
Elephants are beasts of burden in much of the world. And the ones in zoos live a lot longer. This is silly. They are also getting rid of elephants at the Bronx zoo.
Maybe this is part of the backlash agaisnt Republicans?
I always thought Bob Barker was a Republican.
They are intelligent. They're GOP.
Needless to say the other party has a perfect fit with their animal...lol.
He gives money to Bush, but my point was about the stupid liberal idea of removing all elephants from zoos. Barker often allies himself with the far left on animal rights issues.
San Diego has a wonderful zoo and a wonderful wild animal park.
The most condesending host in the history of television.
I once read a quote from Bob Barker's late wife. She said something like, "We have the ideal marriage. I love Bob Barker and Bob Barker loves Bob Barker."
You mean the Ass Party? :)
LOL! Indeed I do!
Origin of the Democrat's donkey:
President Andrew Jackson was lampooned in political cartoons as "President Jackass," partly for ignoring a Supreme Court order and forcibly removing Native Americans from the American Southeast. A third of those Indians died on the forced march, which became known as the "Trail of Tears." For this, he was depicted with a human head on a donkey's body. Our first genocidal president liked it so much, he made it his party's symbol.
I do think that wild animal parks are better for elephants than zoos.
I imagine the price is right ladies also have something to do with why he never retired.
The zoo wanted to put the elephants in this type of setting. PETA and barker reject this plan.
I'll be forever grateful unto him. Good choice and it's managed to apply all throughout the generations.
I'm not sure that 2 acres is enough.
Are you serious? The food is supplied. The two acres is just so they can walk around.
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