Editing Bronx Zoo (section)

===Happy the Elephant===
[[File:Bronx Zoo NYC.jpg|thumb|Elephants at the zoo]]
In the early 1970s, seven [[Indian elephant]]s, named after the Seven Dwarfs from ''[[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)|Snow White]]'', were captured as calves in [[Thailand]] and dispersed among multiple U.S. zoos and [[circus]]es. Two of those calves, Grumpy and Happy, both females, were brought to the zoo in 1977. Over the next 25 years, the pair lived together, separated from the zoo's other elephants. In July 2002, the zoo attempted to mix the pair with two other females, Patty and Maxine. However, the introduction failed when Patty and Maxine attacked the pair and injured Grumpy. Over the next several months, the elephant's injuries worsened and, in October of that year, the zoo was forced to [[Euthanasia|euthanize]] her. With her lifelong companion gone, Happy was paired with the zoo's younger female, Sammy, whose companion Tus had also died in 2002. The two got along very well until Sammy developed severe [[liver disease]] and was also euthanized in early 2006. This left Patty, Maxine, and Happy as the zoo's only remaining elephants.<ref name="nytimes.com1">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/28/nyregion/the-bronx-zoos-loneliest-elephant.html |title=The Bronx Zoo's Loneliest Elephant |date=June 28, 2015 |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171106150419/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/28/nyregion/the-bronx-zoos-loneliest-elephant.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite the fact that elephants are highly social animals, the zoo decided that making a second attempt at introducing Happy to the others was too risky, with there being too high a chance that she would be attacked. She has since lived without the company of other elephants. Due to this, the zoo has been criticized by multiple [[Animal rights movement|animal rights organizations]] for supposedly mistreating Happy. [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals]] (PETA) filed a formal complaint against the zoo with the [[Association of Zoos and Aquariums]] (AZA), calling for them to strip the zoo of its accreditation. In Defense of Animals (IDA) has named the zoo the "Hall of Shame Winner" on their 2015, 2016, and 2017 'Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/wild-free2/elephant-protection/hall-of-shame/defense-animals-10-worst-zoos-elephants-2015/ |title=In Defense of Animals 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants 2015 |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-date=May 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509003103/http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/wild-free2/elephant-protection/hall-of-shame/defense-animals-10-worst-zoos-elephants-2015/ |url-status=live}}</ref> IDA listed the zoo fourth on their 2012 list,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/wild-free2/elephant-protection/hall-of-shame/2012-ten-worst-zoos-for-elephants/ |title=2012 Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants - In Defense of Animals |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512110934/http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/wild-free2/elephant-protection/hall-of-shame/2012-ten-worst-zoos-for-elephants/ |archive-date=May 12, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> fifth on their 2013 and 2014 lists,<ref>Mosbergen, Dominique, [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/13/worst-zoos-for-elephants-bronx-zoo-disney_n_6465600.html "Bronx Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom Make List Of The '10 Worst Zoos For Elephants{{'"}}] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905215411/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/13/worst-zoos-for-elephants-bronx-zoo-disney_n_6465600.html |date=September 5, 2017}} ''[[Huffington Post]]'', January 13, 2015</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/wild-free2/elephant-protection/hall-of-shame/2013-ten-worst-zoos-for-elephants/ |title=2013 Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants - - In Defense of Animals |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501232134/http://www.idausa.org/campaigns/wild-free2/elephant-protection/hall-of-shame/2013-ten-worst-zoos-for-elephants/ |archive-date=May 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> and eighth on their 2009 list.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://yubanet.com/enviro/In-Defense-of-Animals-Releases-2009-Ten-Worst-Zoos-for-Elephants-List.php |title=In Defense of Animals Releases 2009 "Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants" List |access-date=April 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530183607/http://yubanet.com/enviro/In-Defense-of-Animals-Releases-2009-Ten-Worst-Zoos-for-Elephants-List.php |archive-date=May 30, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The organizations, as well as many [[online petition]]s (some of which gain up to 200,000 supporters), have called on the zoo to send Happy to an [[Wildlife refuge|elephant sanctuary]]. However, the zoo said that moving her at this stage in her life might be potentially traumatizing for her, and that she has very strong bonds with her keepers and is well-adjusted to the zoo, where she has spent well over thirty years of her life.<ref name="nytimes.com1"/><ref name="jimbreheny">{{cite web |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/jim-breheny-hey-elephant-lovers-happy-happy-article-1.2339759 |title=Jim Breheny: Hey, elephant lovers: Happy is happy |author=Jim Breheny |date=August 28, 2015 |work=Daily News |access-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-date=December 26, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226181315/http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/jim-breheny-hey-elephant-lovers-happy-happy-article-1.2339759 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2012, a reporter for the ''[[New York Post]]'' wrote that she is kept inside all year and in [[solitary confinement]]. The zoo claims that she and the other two elephants have equal access to outdoor yards, and that the three elephants have limited interactions with each other and extensive interactions with zoo keepers. All three animals share the same barn, but Happy lives in separate stalls and yards.<ref name="jimbreheny"/> In late 2018, one of the zoo's other elephants, Maxine, was euthanized due to complications with her liver and kidneys.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/11/20/elephant-euthanized-at-bronx-zoo/ |title=Maxine, 48-Year-Old Elephant, Euthanized At Bronx Zoo After Illness |date=November 20, 2018 |website=CBS New York |access-date=July 18, 2020 |archive-date=July 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719055652/https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/11/20/elephant-euthanized-at-bronx-zoo/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

A lawsuit against the Bronx Zoo, stating that Happy was legally "a person with a right to be free", was dismissed in February 2020 by a judge of the Bronx County Supreme Court.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Katersky |first1=Aaron |title=Siding with Bronx Zoo, judge rules Happy the elephant is not a person |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/siding-bronx-zoo-judge-rules-happy-elephant-person/story?id=69085996 |website=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |date=February 20, 2020 |access-date=April 5, 2020 |archive-date=March 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328183615/https://abcnews.go.com/US/siding-bronx-zoo-judge-rules-happy-elephant-person/story?id=69085996 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, in May 2021, the [[New York Court of Appeals]] agreed to hear the appeal, filed on behalf of Happy by the [[Nonhuman Rights Project]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Gavin |first=Robert |title=NY's top court to consider 'personhood' of Happy the elephant |website=[[Times Union (Albany)|Times Union]] |date=May 4, 2021 |url=https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NY-s-top-court-to-consider-personhood-of-Happy-16151699.php |access-date=May 5, 2021 |archive-date=May 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505021918/https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/NY-s-top-court-to-consider-personhood-of-Happy-16151699.php |url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2022, the Court of Appeals also ruled in favor of the zoo, saying in a 5–2 decision that the [[Habeas corpus|writ of habeas corpus]] did not apply to nonhuman animals.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cohen |first=Luc |date=June 15, 2022 |title=Happy the elephant is denied personhood, to stay at Bronx Zoo |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/happy-elephant-is-denied-personhood-stay-bronx-zoo-2022-06-14/ |access-date=June 16, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 14, 2022 |title=Happy the elephant is not a person, New York's highest court rules |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/happy-the-elephant-is-not-a-person-new-yorks-highest-court-rules |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614161717/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/happy-the-elephant-is-not-a-person-new-yorks-highest-court-rules |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 14, 2022 |access-date=June 16, 2022 |website=Animals}}</ref>