Sherri Posted January 30, 2008 Posted January 30, 2008 This place rocks. The stories of these magnificent girls bring tears to my eyes every time, but I love what the folks here have done to provide a happy ending to their tales(tails ). HmC_nLOr9R8&NR=1 Misty and Delhi performed together in the circus but were eventually separated for many years. This day in the video shows Misty's arrival at the sanctuary and the happy reunion. Mistys bio: In July of 1983, Misty was one of four elephants performing at the now defunct Lion Country Safari in Irvine, California. It is reported that on July 25, Misty broke lose from her chains. A park zoologist was killed as he tried to capture her. After the accident Misty was whisked away and absorbed by the circus industry until 1988 when she was purchased by the Hawthorn Corporation. Misty maintained her reputation as a dangerous elephant until the day the Sanctuary staff took custody of her from the Hawthorn Corporation. Her parting shot was to strike John Cuneo, owner of the Hawthorn Corporation, across the chest with her trunk as he attempted to make her stretch out on her sternum so he could remove her chains. Upon her arrival at the Sanctuary, Misty turned over a new leaf. She is playful, cooperative and most importantly non-aggressive, allowing keepers to form a close and safe relationship with her. Her playfulness is contagious and her affection for all she meets is obvious. Elephant Sanctuary Quote
chirp Posted January 31, 2008 Posted January 31, 2008 Awesome stuff, thanks for the share Sherri! I watch and think of all the sweet animals from hard times that get forever homes. Cheers! Quote
sobo Posted February 7, 2008 Posted February 7, 2008 That's great news, Sherri. Here's another place that Check out the No More Homeless Pets link. Quote
Sherri Posted February 8, 2008 Author Posted February 8, 2008 Great minds(and big hearts) must think alike, Sobo. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary has been one of my fave causes for years. A good friend of ours has gone down there to volunteer a few times and comes home with wonderful stories(and nearly with a new dog or two each time, so probably best that she hasn't been to the elephant sanctuary ). Quote
G-spotter Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 Sounds like a fun place to visit - just don't forget to pack your trunk. Quote
Sherri Posted February 8, 2008 Author Posted February 8, 2008 Sounds like a fun place to visit - just don't forget to pack your trunk. Good point. Quote
rmncwrtr Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 I've been meaning to post. Thanks for the video, Sherri. I'd heard about the place, but didn't know that much about it. And Sobo, cool link, my kids keep asking me when can we go to the shelter and get a dog. We just watched my friend's dog for a the past 10 days and now the house seems a little empty. Quote
sobo Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 Great minds(and big hearts) must think alike, Sobo. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary has been one of my fave causes for years. My wife and I donate to Best Friends every year, and have for eons (although it was just her before we hooked up, which was how I learned about it). One of the items on her "100 Things to Do Before I Die" list is to go there and spend a week volunteering and meet Michael Mountain. She actually saw him when he was in Seattle a couple of eyars ago, but was too "groupie-fied" to go up to him and introduce herself (Mel can relate to that re Heydan Christensen, but Mel got over her fears ). Rebecca has been to a few of BF's rescues, the last one being the Rabbit Round-up in Reno in the summer of '06. Quote
Sherri Posted February 8, 2008 Author Posted February 8, 2008 Kelly is on the board of a local dog rescue org., so these types of efforts are close to our hearts. From the get-go, Best Friends has been a model of how to do it right. I understand how Rebecca feels--the experience of going there to volunteer is like a pilgrimage for folks who support them. Definitely something to do at least once in a lifetime. The set-up of the Elephant Sanctuary is less conducive to hands-on volunteering--they actually discourage that sort of interaction because most of these elephants have spent their entire lives as "entertainment for humans" in circuses and zoos and the sanctuary's mission is to provide a place for them to be elephants again. Frolicking around a big farm in Tennessee is a far cry from living among their herds in their homelands, but it's a start. Quote
chirp Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 That's great news, Sherri. Here's another place that Check out the No More Homeless Pets link. Awesome! Aside from the local rescue where we got our dog Max; R.E.D., I think we have found another great resource and will send off a few dollars in support! The more I read the more I am stoked to see the support for all the little buds. Thanks for the links and great thread. Max 3 years after rescue and knee surgery. he still has the lead fragments from being shot in the back, but is stoked and well adjusted. Quote
sobo Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 That is so cool for Max to have found you, chirp. And you him. And thanks for supporting any no-kill shelter. Awesome! Quote
Sherri Posted February 9, 2008 Author Posted February 9, 2008 Awesome! Aside from the local rescue where we got our dog Max; R.E.D., I think we have found another great resource and will send off a few dollars in support! The more I read the more I am stoked to see the support for all the little buds. Thanks for the links and great thread. Max 3 years after rescue and knee surgery. he still has the lead fragments from being shot in the back, but is stoked and well adjusted. Right on, Chirp! That boy sure looks like he found the right home. Those knee surgeries are spendy and a bugger to rehab. One of our dogs has had TWO of them(we reckon we should be able to drive her around town for the amount of $$ those knees have sucked out of our wallets ) and she still jumps the fence. Quote
Dechristo Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 Kelly is on the board of a local dog rescue org., so these types of efforts are close to our hearts. From the get-go, Best Friends has been a model of how to do it right. I understand how Rebecca feels--the experience of going there to volunteer is like a pilgrimage for folks who support them. Definitely something to do at least once in a lifetime. The set-up of the Elephant Sanctuary is less conducive to hands-on volunteering--they actually discourage that sort of interaction because most of these elephants have spent their entire lives as "entertainment for humans" in circuses and zoos and the sanctuary's mission is to provide a place for them to be elephants again. Frolicking around a big farm in Tennessee is a far cry from living among their herds in their homelands, but it's a start. I recall seeing film of this sanctuary's story on PBS...probably a year ago or so. Quote
chirp Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 (edited) Right on, Chirp! That boy sure looks like he found the right home. Those knee surgeries are spendy and a bugger to rehab. One of our dogs has had TWO of them(we reckon we should be able to drive her around town for the amount of $$ those knees have sucked out of our wallets ) and she still jumps the fence. Sadly, it is amazing how many families put their animal down for much less severe issues. It makes me wholly sick to hear the stories from a friend of mine who volunteers at the Humane Society. If you cannot afford it, you should seek out assistance other ways. Alot of people still view a pet as a "disposable item" and not as a responsibility. I consider myself Max and Jumars guardians, not owner. We put Max's story at our local Pet shop ( Next to Nature ) and solicited donations to help with the TPLO surgery. We ended up recieving half the amount of the surgery and that helped us ALOT. It never hurts to ask for assistance. In karmic exchange, I volunteer with a local metro parks supported organisation for my local park, Rogers Dog Park in Tacoma and run the park forums board Rogersdogpark.org Edited February 9, 2008 by chirp Quote
Dechristo Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 It never helps to ask for assistance. Quote
Dechristo Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 yeah, I believe that's what was intended Quote
Sherri Posted February 9, 2008 Author Posted February 9, 2008 We put Max's story at our local Pet shop ( Next to Nature ) and solicited donations to help with the TPLO surgery. We ended up recieving half the amount of the surgery and that helped us ALOT. It never hurts to ask for assistance. In karmic exchange, I volunteer with a local metro parks supported organisation for my local park, Rogers Dog Park in Tacoma and run the park forums board Rogersdogpark.org That sort of resourcefulness is admirable. Goes to show that where there's a will(and commitment to helping/keeping your pet) there's always a way. Nice work. Our local rescue group will sometimes offer food or medical assistance to a needy family that wants to keep their pet but can't fully provide for its care at the time. Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 I recall Lion Country Safari from when I was a kid. Even though we lived in nearby Laguna Beach, we only ever visited the place a few times. It's concept of displaying animals in a setting resembling their natural habitat was a novel concept for the 1970's. I remember the time that Bubbles the hippopotamus escaped from the park. It was found along Laguna Canyon Road in the only pond for miles in any direction, ponds being uncommon in arid Southern California. Quote
Sherri Posted February 9, 2008 Author Posted February 9, 2008 The set-up of the Elephant Sanctuary is less conducive to hands-on volunteering--they actually discourage that sort of interaction because most of these elephants have spent their entire lives as "entertainment for humans" in circuses and zoos and the sanctuary's mission is to provide a place for them to be elephants again. Frolicking around a big farm in Tennessee is a far cry from living among their herds in their homelands, but it's a start. I recall seeing film of this sanctuary's story on PBS...probably a year ago or so. That might have been the documentary that CBS Sunday Morning ran last spring about "Dulary's" release from the Philadelphia zoo into the care of the sanctuary. It was the first time I heard of this place, and now I'm hooked. Dulary's Diary Quote
Dechristo Posted February 11, 2008 Posted February 11, 2008 Yes, it might have been the CBS Sunday Morning Show. Quote
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