He became so malnourished that both of his back legs snapped under the weight of his own body. It took keepers three days to realise his legs were broken before they took him for treatment. He died three days later.
KATE BUCK: ‘A ‘skeletal’ baby elephant who was forced to ‘rave’ for tourists in Thailand has died. The three-year-old, who spent his entire life at the infamous Phuket Zoo, was named ‘Dumbo’ by animal rights campaigners who filmed him being forced to dance and do tricks. Vets said he died from an untreated infection in his digestive tract, which caused him to have ‘constant diarrhoea’. It meant that his body was not absorbing nutrients as it should, making his bones brittle. He became so malnourished that both of his back legs snapped under the weight of his own body. It took keepers three days to realise his legs were broken before they took him for treatment on April 17. He died three days later…
Moving Animals, the campaign group who filmed the footage, said: ‘This is a tragic and horrific end to Dumbo’s heartbreakingly-short life. ‘His skeletal body clearly suggested that he was unwell and could be suffering from undernourishment and exhaustion. ‘I can’t bring myself to imagine Dumbo’s suffering during this time. ‘For Dumbo to die whilst under the so-called “care” and “treatment” of the zoo shows just how neglected these animals are in captivity’. As Phuket Zoo have not broken any laws, Phuket department officials have claimed that the zoo are free to ‘acquire’ another baby if they choose to do so’. SOURCE…
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