Toronto Star - Zoo keepers fuming over vote sending elephants to sanctuary (26-Oct-2011):
... “No offence to any city (councillors) that made the decision, but they’re quite honestly not qualified to make a decision on what’s best for these elephants,’’ an angry Vernon Presley, one of seven elephant keepers at the [Toronto] zoo, told the Star.
... Peter Evans, a former [Toronto] zoo board member for 12 years, called council’s decision a “slap in the face’’ to the current board and zoo staff. “The arrogance and lack of respect shown and the disregard for the process, is appalling,’’ Evans said.
-- source: Toronto Star (26-Oct-2011)
Brantford Expositor - The elephant man weighs in on zoo episode (24-Dec-2011):
Wayne Jackson, former zookeeper at the Toronto Zoo, has worked with more than 100 elephants at several zoos around the world.
... "When it comes to such things as zoo animals, it should be the professionals at that particular institution that makes the decision on a particular animal, not someone who really knows nothing about the species or particular animal," said [Wayne] Jackson in his correspondence on [9-Nov-2011 to Mayor Ford].
-- source: Brantford Expositor (24-Dec-2011)
Global News - Elephant Keeper Speaks Out (Nov-2011)
Elephant Keeper Speaks Out (video);
Vernon Presley, and Councillor and Vice-Chair Paul Ainslie.
-- source: Global News (Nov-2011)
You too can speak out about the elephant decision by signing the petition.