Attorney General Orders Fort Worth to Release Records of Elephant Attack

For Immediate Release:
April 18, 2016

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

PETA has prevailed in its effort to obtain records from the City of Fort Worth regarding an elephant attack at the Fort Worth Zoo, which is owned by the city and operated by a private contractor. When PETA and KXAS-TV first requested the records, the city refused, releasing only a heavily redacted version of the 911 call—but now, following PETA’s submission of comments arguing for disclosure, the attorney general has sided with the animal rights organization and ordered the records’ release.

According to the complete 911 call (audio available here) and accompanying incident report, a 37-year-old zookeeper was attacked by an elephant and suffered a bloody puncture wound to her leg and damage to her eye and jaw.

“Despite Fort Worth’s attempt to shield a private government contractor from public accountability, we can now see for ourselves how this city-owned zoo places employees in mortal danger,” says PETA Foundation Captive Animal Law Enforcement Counsel Rachel Mathews. “PETA is calling on the Fort Worth Zoo to do what the Association of Zoos and Aquariums requires and install protective barriers between elephants and zookeepers.”

PETA’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment.”