We, the undersigned, are calling on the Monterey Zoo in Salinas, California, to fulfill its promises of retirement and sanctuary life for elephants. Despite claiming to be a place where elephants can “retire,” the reality is that a life of public display and constant domination by human trainers can hardly be called retirement for elephants. The Monterey Zoo has a history of poor elephant welfare, with most of its elephants dying young, even by zoo standards. The average age of three of the five elephants who died there was 22.

Elephants Paula and Kristy were euthanized in 2019, Paula for severe osteochondrosis, and Kristy for salmonella and E.coli in her intestines and liver. For years, the Monterey Zoo ran the Elephants of Africa Rescue Society (EARS), which was founded by an exotic animal hobbyist who eventually established “Wild Things Animal Rentals Inc.” for film productions. Despite its “sanctuary” moniker, EARS was notorious for hosting annual galas where people came into direct contact with elephants, sometimes without any physical boundary between humans and elephants. EARS was recently merged into its “parent” organization, Monterey Zoological Society, but the EARS website remains active, and elephant experiences continue at Monterey Zoo.

Even during the coronavirus pandemic, the Monterey Zoo has encouraged people, including children, to come into close contact with elephants’ trunks, even though any elephant can carry tuberculosis and with enough exposure, become infected from people as well. Studies are still underway about which animals can catch or transmit COVID-19, and though there still “is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19” to humans based on limited studies, it is suspected the disease has already passed between humans and several species at zoos. Lions, tigers and other “big cats,” at Bronx Zoo, a Tennessee Zoo, and a Kentucky Zoo have tested positive, while at San Diego Zoo, gorillas tested positive for COVID-19.

Real sanctuaries are designed to provide for elephants’ needs first and foremost; they are never bred, and never put to work entertaining humans or allowed to come into unprotected contact with people. Unprotected contact between elephants and humans is dangerous for reasons beyond disease transmission. A 2018 incident cited by PETA saw a trainer seriously injured after taking “aggressive action” on Monterey Zoo captive female African elephant Paula, illustrating the dangers of unprotected contact to both elephants and humans. As well as engaging in dangerous unprotected contact, the Zoo is being sued for using bullhook-like weapons to dominate and control elephants in violation of California’s ban on bullhooks and other pain-inflicting weapons.

Hundreds of people have been killed by captive elephants, largely the result of so-called free contact approaches, which is one of the reasons the leading accreditation body, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, requires protected contact at accredited zoos. The only accreditation Monterey Zoo has managed to secure is from the “Zoological Association of America,” which is headed by the director of Pittsburgh Zoo — the #1 Worst Zoo for Elephants in 2019. This is the second time Monterey Zoo has been on our 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants list.

We demand that the Monterey Zoo take immediate action to send its elephants to a true sanctuary accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. These animals deserve a life of dignity and respect, free from the constant domination and exploitation they currently endure. We urge the Monterey Zoo to do the right thing and give its elephants the retirement they.