Save Rosie the Elephant from a Lonely, Freezing Maine Winter
- by: Care2.com
- recipient: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
Rosie the former circus elephant is a gentle creature who suffers from chronic arthritis because of an old injury. Now, well-meaning but misguided ex-performers want to bring her to live out her days in a tiny pen with inadequate conditions and public safety problems.
Rosie's arthritis means that her joints are sensitive to temperature and lack of movement. The proposed "sanctuary," a tiny pen in Maine, would confine her to a small space in a freezing environment. None of Rosie's new handlers have adequate elephant safety experience. And although elephants are naturally social creatures, Rosie would be all alone.
Bringing an elephant to live by herself in the cold Maine winter is inhumane and unwise. Ask the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife to send Rosie to a shelter where she can truly thrive.
I am writing to urge you to reject Dr. Laurita's proposition to bring Rosie the elephant to Maine.
Although Dr. Laurita's intentions are admirable, he is ill-equipped to handle elephants in the backyard of his house in Maine. As a creature suffering from arthritis, Rosie needs space to roam and stretch her sore joints; a tiny pen in the cold Maine winter would be terrible for her. Also, elephants are naturally social animals. In Maine, Rosie would be all alone.
I urge you to send Rosie instead to a sanctuary where she will have room to roam and the company of other elephants.
