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Classified Chestnut Hill Local Webmaster Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or ©2006 Chestnut Hill Local Winner of Three |
From our readers...Zoo is no friend Then there is Dulary — the Asian elephant attacked last summer by one of the African elephants, a tragic consequence of the Zoo’s failure to provide adequate space for four of the world’s largest land mammals. Dulary has been living in solitary confinement for over ten months, briefly released from her steel cage inside the 1,800 square foot cement barn when the Africans are inside. Female elephants are extremely social animals who live their entire lives with their families in the wild. Dulary suffered alone through the winter, dropping nearly a thousand pounds in a few months. Now Dulary will suffer alone through the sweltering heat of summer, spending 20 hours a day in a barn cooled only by a few fans - no air conditioning and little ventilation. In response to concerns about the elephants, Zoo officials have denied that Dulary is isolated; after all, says the Zoo, she can “hear, smell and see the other elephants.” Reassuring news for all the human prisoners in solitary confinement — they aren’t really isolated because after all, they can smell the other prisoners! As for Petal, Kallie, and Bette, the three African elephants, Zoo officials glibly claim they are in “good health” and “happy.” These claims are contradicted by eye-witness reports of the elephants displaying foot problems and the Zoo’s refusal to provide access to the elephants’ medical records despite repeated requests from the public. The Philadelphia Zoo has no excuses for its failure to provide adequate
living conditions for these four majestic elephants. The Elephant Sanctuary
(“TES”), a 2,700- acre natural habitat refuge for elephants
in Tennessee, offered last fall to take Dulary at no charge to the Zoo,
including free transport. TES will be able to accommodate additional African
elephants in the coming months, providing the other three Philly Zoo elephants
with a permanent home. That for over 10 months the Zoo has continued to
refuse to send Dulary to TES and instead has forced her to languish alone
in a cement barn for more than 20 hours per day is nothing less than gross
negligence. I am a member of Help Philly Zoo Elephants. I’d imagine you’ve read/or heard about our efforts and are informed with what is going on with the four elephants there at the Zoo, especially the lone Asian elephant, Dulary. Just for the record, I don’t think Jimmy Pack is a “boring”
or “old” soul. I think he is a kind, intelligent man who knows
that it is very sad and wrong to stuff an animal into an “enclosure”
or “exhibit” and force it to be made incapable of what it
was created to do just so we can gawk at it for five minutes, if even
that much. So, for a few fleeting moments of entertainment for us, these
animals are doomed to live an entire life of misery, boredom, loneliness
and frustration. This teaches our children nothing whatsoever about wild
life other than exploitation. A word of thanks to those who responded to my recent letter in regard to the needs of the Bach Festival of Philadelphia. The contributions have been most welcome and will certainly help to assure the survival of this Chestnut Hill gem. Negotiations are in progress at the moment for the American premiere of a well-known Bach keyboard masterpiece, an orchestral version which promises to attract international recognition here. In the event the Bach Festival receives additional gifts within the next few weeks, it may be possible to have the performance in Philadelphia, perhaps Chestnut Hill, this coming autumn. Our address remains at 8806 Germantown Ave. 19118, and all are welcome
to participate. The other morning there was the sound of an animal moaning in our kitchen above the microwave oven. We opened the cabinet above the oven and there was a metal duct going up to the attic. When the animal heard us open the cabinet, it banged on the metal. My 84-year-old partner and I (I’m only 76) went up to the attic but could not see where the duct came out. We walked around outside of the house and saw no place where it could have entered. I had to leave for work (at the Local) and Sam called the Society for the Protection of Animals who said to call the Animal Control League who said they’d deliver a trap (and he explained it was already trapped). Then he called them back and they said to call the SPCA a second time, and they said to call City Hall and City Hall said to get an exterminator because they could handle animals. When I returned at 2 p.m., no one had come and the animal was still moaning and banging. We had no idea what to do. I had seen a truck up the street and decided to see if there was someone who might give us some advice. Was I lucky!! A man named Jack Caspar from a kitchen and bath remodeling company called Once & Done, Ltd., said he’d take a look. A look — he spent an hour at our house, found the outlet in the attic, figured out how to untape the duct over the microwave, returned to the attic advising us to hold the cabinet closed while he pulled the duct up. Suddenly, the cabinet sprung open and two, not one, squirrels ran into the kitchen. We slammed the kitchen door closed, but one got out first into the house. Jack Caspar came down from the attic and, using a cardboard box he found in the garage and a piece of cardboard, trapped the squirrel and put it outside. We were able to chase the other one toward a back door and out he went. We were fortunate to have found Jack Caspar, Once & Done, Ltd., 610-322-2754. P.S. He found their entry point on the side of the house where heat from
the oven was to come out, but the inside had rusted and that was how they
got in. He told us what we needed to replace. Through my reading of Al Pearson’s two previous letters to the Local [“Consequences of Manifest Destiny,” June 29 and “Assault, theft near Pastorius,” June 8], it is very obvious that he is an educated man who is very devoted to his cause. However, what is also extremely obvious in these letters is the fact that this very powerful drive within Mr. Pearson has seemingly destroyed any aspect of common sense within him. This is not an issue rooted solely in race or social class, as Mr. Pearson and his quasi-socialist rants would seem to dictate. I do not believe that any resident of Philadelphia is content with the many poverty-stricken sections of the city; however, no matter what living conditions a person may endure, assault is never, under any circumstances permissible. I can see where poverty may play a role in the attempted theft on Abington and Roanoke; however, I do not see how poverty or race can be attributed to the causes behind the vicious assault on an innocent elderly man who was just doing what anyone else would if, god-forbid, they were faced with his situation. Any one in desperation or anger may have the urge to steal; however, it takes a truly twisted and evil individual to inflict that kind of suffering on so innocent a victim. Mr. Pearson, as heartfelt as your letter may be, it is extremely off point. You make it sound as though the citizens in these impoverished areas have no choice but to resort to violence against those of firmer economic foundation. The crime in question was not a result of the perpetrators social welfare; it was a result of his mental welfare. The true hatred that would have caused anyone to commit such an act most certainly transcends racial or economic tensions. I find it extremely disturbing that in both of your letters you found time to sneak in some quick jabs at the Bush administration while not once mentioning Mayor John Street or Governor Ed Rendell’s failures in reducing the economic troubles within these sections of Philadelphia, or their inability to implement programs meant to curb such criminal acts. Also, it is entirely inexcusable for you to not even once condemn the individual guilty of this evil crime. Assault is assault, and criminals are criminals. Regardless of race,
social conditions, or economic hardships this always is true. Throughout
the history of this great nation of ours there has never been an excuse
for this kind of brutality; and as much as you would like to try to form
one, Mr. Pearson, there is none now. Thank you for the lovely article on me and my family in the June 29 issue of the Local (“CHC grad: it’s all in the {big, proud} family”). Writer Candida DeFonseca and editor Len Lear were wonderful to me. I could not have asked for more. Going back to college as a mother of two grown children and with a full-time job was quite a remarkable experience, and you captured in wonderfully. The article was positive about me, my family, my experience and Chestnut
Hill College. I hope my experience will inspire others to know that it’s
never too late to go back to school and further your education. Author
Wayne Dyer once wrote, “Sell your cleverness and purchase bewilderment.”
You guys make it easy to do that, and I appreciate it. You have a great
team at the Local. |
