New standards regarding the keeping of elephants were recently passed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the accrediting organization for American wildlife institutions. Among their recommendations was that elephants be held in groups of three or more, as they are highly social creatures. Now, zoos around the country  are scrambling to comply with the regulations by AZA’s 2016 deadline. One of them is the Virginia Zoo in the city of Norfolk, which, since the death of Monica the elephant in 2011, only has two pachyderms.  

Because of these new regulations, VA Zoo has declared that it will be relocating its two female elephants instead of acquiring a third. We want 42 year-old Lisa and 47 year-old Cita to be retired and relocated together, to an animal sanctuary or refuge where they can finally get the quality of life they deserve.  

I started this online petition to move the Virginia Zoo elephants to a sanctuary because they have served the public for so many years, and this is finally their chance to live like elephants truly should. In the wild, elephants walk up to 50 miles per day. The Virginia Zoo has never been able to provide that type of space for these two beautiful creatures. These girls deserve to stretch their legs and live out the rest of their lives in peace. A sanctuary ensures that they will be out of the public eye and free to just be elephants for the first time in their lives.

Help Lisa and Cita retire peacefully by signing this petition!  Thank you for your help and for your concern regarding the well-being of these majestic creatures.