Ruby the Elephant Monitored for Happiness
Posted on: Friday, 30 April 2004, 06:00 CDT
LOS ANGELES - A judge gave a Tennessee zoo six months to report back on the social life of an African elephant named Ruby.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge George Wu ordered the report Thursday from the Knoxville Zoo instead of ruling on a motion to throw out a lawsuit seeking to return Ruby to Los Angeles.
Ruby, who once lived at the Los Angeles Zoo, was separated from her elephant friend Gita 11 months ago when she was moved to Knoxville.
A taxpayer lawsuit backed by the U.S. Humane Society seeks to return Ruby to Los Angeles, saying she's lonely in Knoxville and spends most of her time alone on a concrete floor instead of breeding with other elephants. Whether the lawsuit proceeds hinges on how well Ruby bonds with elephants at her new home.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's the first time in America that we've had a Superior Court judge bend over backwards to see if an elephant is happy," said Gretchen Wyler, vice president of the U.S. Humane Society's Hollywood office.
"Now, at least, if she is not integrated, or is injured in any way, this will go to trial."
Attorneys for the city of Knoxville say Ruby hasn't suffered from the move.
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