On Saturday, November 8, an emaciated Asian male elephant named Ned was confiscated from Florida based circus trainer Lance Ramos by the USDA for failure to comply with the Animal Welfare Act and was placed by USDA authority with The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee. On Sunday, November 9th, at about 12:30 p.m., Ned arrived at The Elephant Sanctuary.
NEDMay 15th: Ned was with us such a short time and now he is gone. When he crossed over there can be no doubt that he was in the company of his sister-elephant Bunny who passed away only 12 hours before him. Although these two deaths were unrelated on a physical level, on a deeper level they could not be more related. Ned passed away at 3:47am CT in the company of a caregiver. He passed without a struggle, just two deep breaths and a sigh and then he was gone. We feel cheated by the little time we had with Ned but cherish every single moment we were allowed to care for and get to know this most amazing boy/man elephant known as Ned. We love you Ned, Namaste sweet boy.
BUNNYMay 14th: Bunny was a wild elephant caught in Burma, Asia almost 50 years ago. She is short and stout, standing less than 8 feet tall and weighing 7500 pounds. She has a short tail that appears to have been broken in several places when she was younger. As result of sleeping on concrete for nearly 5 decades Bunny developed pressure wounds all over her body. All but one of the wounds have completely healed but the scars remain.
Bunny is the first resident of the Sanctuary to die of natural causes; old age (57 years), a gift and a phenomenon for any elephant living in captivity. Bunny’s passing is not made easier on her family because she has lived a full life, but we are overjoyed that she spent her golden years in a place that she adored, surrounded, cherished by loving individuals; elephants and humans alike.
http://www.elephants.com/elediary.htm--------------------------------------------------------------------
Sad day. The sanctuary is a favorite charity that makes the last days of old and abused elephants as free an experience as feasible.