What was supposed to be a quiet transfer of animals turned into a full-blown public outcry.
In the middle of the night, without notice or ceremony, the Los Angeles Zoo quietly relocated its last two elephants—Billy and Tina—to the Tulsa Zoo in Oklahoma.
Now, the city is facing backlash from activists, celebrities, and heartbroken residents who say the move was done behind their backs.
Public Trust Shattered as Elephants Vanish Overnight
Photos taken just a day later showed an empty elephant exhibit at the LA Zoo, sparking immediate outrage.
The elephants—Billy, 40, and Tina, 59—had been seen wearing shackles around their ankles just before their departure.
According to one insider, zoo staff themselves were left in the dark about the timing of the move.
“They planned it for the early hours to avoid attention,” the source shared.
“They didn’t want anyone snapping pictures of the elephants in transport. It was all hush-hush.”
Mayor Karen Bass Under Fire for Secretive Decision
Many critics are pointing the finger directly at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, accusing her of choosing a zoo-to-zoo transfer over the more humane option of retiring the elephants to a sanctuary.
Despite ongoing protests, public petitions, and support from celebrities like Cher, Nicola Peltz Beckham, and Kim Basinger, Bass approved the move to Tulsa Zoo—an institution ranked as one of the worst in the country for elephants.
Celebrities, Animal Advocates, and Residents Outraged
Social media exploded with anger once news of the secret transfer broke.
Messages flooded Instagram, calling for Mayor Bass to resign.
One message read: “November 3, 2026, Election Day and the end of @mayorofla and her disregard for LA’s animals.”
Others were far more direct: “Prison is where she needs to be moved,” one user wrote.
Animal rights group In Defense of Animals (IDA), which had long pushed for Billy and Tina to be sent to a sanctuary, condemned the move as unethical and heartless.
“It’s a complete betrayal,” said elephant expert Courtney Scott. “The secrecy of it all just adds to the cruelty.”
A Stark Contrast to Other Elephant Relocations
Critics were quick to compare LA’s move with Toronto Zoo’s transparent and humane process.
In 2013, the Toronto City Council voted to retire their elephants to a Northern California sanctuary, celebrating the move publicly with news coverage and fanfare.
LA, on the other hand, paid $44,000 to send Billy and Tina to another zoo—despite multiple sanctuaries, including the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary and PAWS, offering to take the elephants in at no cost.
Sanctuary Offers Rejected Despite Free Lifetime Care
One of the most baffling parts of this story is the city’s refusal to accept offers of free, lifetime sanctuary care.
David Casselman, co-founder of the Cambodia Wildlife Sanctuary and Ecoflix Foundation, had publicly offered to cover all transportation and care expenses for Billy and Tina—but said the proposal was outright ignored.
“After all they’ve endured, they were sent to a place even less suited for them,” Casselman said. “There was no scientific justification.
It was simply another bad decision in a long string of failures by the LA Zoo and its leadership.”
Tulsa Zoo Raises Serious Concerns Among Experts
Dr. Chris Draper, an internationally recognized elephant specialist, recently visited the Tulsa Zoo and gave a damning assessment.
He called the decision to send the elephants there “reckless and irresponsible,” citing issues with terrain, heat, crowding, and lack of shade—all of which could cause serious harm to aging elephants like Billy and Tina.
He described the new elephant enclosure as “inhumane” and noted that the five elephants already living there showed signs of poor health, including a lack of muscle tone and cracked nails.
A Troubled History of Elephant Care in Los Angeles
Sadly, Billy and Tina aren’t the first elephants to suffer in LA. The zoo has seen 17 elephants die under its care, including Hannibal, who passed away after being improperly medicated.
Just last year, another elephant named Shaunzi died after collapsing from foot and leg problems.
These incidents have left many questioning why LA continues to keep elephants at all.
Despite building a $42 million “Elephants of Asia” exhibit in 2010, a superior court judge later ruled the zoo’s claims that elephants were happier and healthier were unsubstantiated.
Zoo Director Denise Verret Caught in Financial Controversy
Adding fuel to the fire is LA Zoo Director Denise Verret, who is now embroiled in a legal dispute with the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA).
According to a declaration filed in court, Verret allegedly misused over $365,000 for luxury travel, including trips to Argentina, the Canary Islands, and Australia.
She also spent $22,000 on a private party to celebrate her new role as Zoo Director and tens of thousands more on office renovations.
Meanwhile, the zoo itself remains in dire need of improvements.
Missed Opportunity for Redemption and Compassion
In the end, many believe this could have been a turning point for LA—a chance to show compassion and leadership.
Julie Mancuso, founder of the advocacy group Social Compassion in Legislation, said Mayor Bass underestimated the public’s emotional investment in these elephants.
“She had a chance to show empathy, to do the right thing,” said Shira Astrof, CEO of The Animal Rescue Mission.
“Instead, she’ll be remembered as the mayor who sent Billy and Tina to die in a cage.”
As the fallout continues, one thing is clear: this story has sparked an emotional reckoning for the City of Angels, one that’s now being covered far beyond U.S. borders.