Pat Derby Receives GFAS Award

Ed Stewart traveled to Tennessee last month to accept the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries' (GFAS) Carol Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence, awarded posthumously to Pat Derby.

The award was established by the GFAS to honor those who dedicate themselves passionately to sanctuary animal care, and is named in honor of Carole Noon, Ph.D., founder of Save the Chimps, and a courageous and innovative sanctuary pioneer. The award was presented at the Humane Society of the United States' Animal Care Expo opening ceremonies in Nashville.

A $5,000 donation to PAWS accompanied the award, made possible by generous contributions from International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Born Free USA, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS), and individual donors.

Book Review: "Elephants Among Us"

by Catherine Doyle

All too often the sad lives and deaths of captive elephants go unrecorded or they are lost with time. It's as though these individuals never existed. In "Elephants Among Us", author Mike Jaynes sets out to preserve the memories of two elephants, Stoney and Mary. Though they lived decades apart, their stories are united by their exploitation for human entertainment and their tragic ends.

The greater part of the book is dedicated to Stoney, a male Asian elephant who was born at the Oregon Zoo in 1973, removed from his mother by age one, and sent to a life in entertainment. In 1994, while practicing a hind leg stand at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Stoney's rear leg hamstring snapped. The elephant was in excruciating pain and unable to stand, and he was relegated to a windowless building behind the luxurious hotel. Hoping that Stoney's leg could be mended, a veterinarian created a sling-type device meant to only temporarily support the elephant and allow for physical therapy. Unfortunately, this was the beginning of the end for Stoney.

But Stoney was not alone. The author introduces the reader to activist Linda Faso, who, together with PAWS co-founder Pat Derby, fought to save Stoney's life. A chapter written by Faso provides a first-hand account of events and is a moving tribute to Stoney. The author also takes care to point out that despite the horrific nature of Stoney's story, there were positive outcomes, such as increased awareness of the plight of wild animals used for entertainment and a reduction in the use of exotic animals in Las Vegas shows.

The latter part of the book describes the circumstances surrounding the horrific death of Mary, an elephant performing with a circus. In 1916, while being ridden in a parade by an inexperienced handler, Mary moved out of line in order to reach a watermelon rind. The handler struck Mary hard on the side of the head and the elephant responded by grabbing the man, throwing him to the ground, and then quickly dispatching him. An outraged public called for Mary's death, and she was hung to death in a grisly spectacle.

Jaynes' meticulous research brings Mary, Stoney and all the human players to life, and he deftly sifts fact from fiction. More than anything, he strives to be balanced, presenting both sides of each story. (At times he may try too hard to be unbiased, but readers can come to their own conclusions.) Jaynes repeatedly warns against laying blame on any one person, and instead points the finger at the bigger issues: prevailing attitudes that allow the exploitation of elephants for entertainment and an enabling public that continues to purchase tickets to see animals perform.

While the subject matter may be difficult, Jaynes' interesting perspectives keep you engaged. You owe it to yourself, and to Mary and Stoney, to read this book. We guarantee you will never forget these elephants - and that's how it should be.

"Elephants Among Us" is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. Click here for more information or to order.

Pictured above: Immediately following Ed Stewart's presentation, Oakland Zoo staff presented him with this original watercolor painting of Pat Derby, and Annie, one of PAWS' Asian elephants.

"Celebrating Elephants" 2013

Thank you, Oakland Zoo, for another fantastic fundraiser for ATE 

During the 17 years the Oakland Zoo has been presenting its "Celebrating Elephants" event, they have raised more than $200,000 for the Amboseli Trust for Elephants  (ATE) in Kenya, led by world-renowned researcher Cynthia Moss. Almost everything we know about African elephants today is because of her ongoing work. Cynthia has led a research team at Amboseli National Park for more than 40 years, studying every aspect of these elephants' lives. 

Echo, the elephant matriarch who Cynthia studied for more than 30 years, beginning in 1973, was the subject of several books, as well as documentaries on PBS and the BBC. She was the first subject of the Amboseli Elephant Research Project (AERP), the longest-running study of a land mammal. The study of Echo and her family contributed significantly to the understanding of elephants, including their life-cycles, methods of communication, emotional lives, and cooperative care of their young. Echo died in 2008 at the age of 65.

This year's evening event was held on May 17, and was dedicated to the memory of PAWS' co-founder Pat Derby. Ed Stewart was the featured speaker that night. It was a wonderful evening of friends, food, beverages, the always "to die for" silent auction, and a chance for elephant lovers to gather together to celebrate elephants with the respect, compassion and awareness they deserve.

Pictured above: Karen Sharpe Kramer, Ed Stewart and Katherine "Kat" Kramer at the Petco Foundation's Hope Gala in San Diego. Kat was a featured performer at the event that honored Lily Tomlin and her commitment to animal welfare. Kat sang the beautiful song, "Bless the Beasts and the Children", from her father's movie by the same name. PAWS first met the Kramers when Kat volunteered to sing that same song at our production of Circus PAWS in Hollywood, an event that had been the long-time dream of PAWS' co-founder Pat Derby. Kat would later honor Pat by giving a repeat performance at Pat's memorial service in March of this year. You can listen to Kat's performance at Circus PAWS by clicking here.

 

Petco Foundation Honors Lily Tomlin

Celebrating more than 14 years of making a difference for animals, the Petco Foundation hosted its fifth annual Hope Gala on May 18, in San Diego. This year's event honored Lily Tomlin for her dedicated work and commitment to animal welfare.

Each year the Petco Foundation gala recognizes individuals or groups who share the foundation's mission to improve the quality of life for pets, and the people who love and need them. A portion of the proceeds from the event benefitted two non-profits near and dear to Lily's heart - Actors and Others for Animals and the Performing Animal Welfare Society!

Congratulations Lily on this well-deserved honor, and our thanks to you, and to Petco, for thinking of us!