![Cher]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsGvNg530QYIs_6Cq-d05BE7qIQeXESiw5ATkJGm5KTFvrl7DuQU3flmZbQomwK8_khGkqLhlFugT1F8B41dWnUjH_eufRQ1ZfdWIuLQECV47m3_Hyl9Cdt_0ntCzGuiMNGK3kKsBl4fk/s1600/Cher+Billy+The+Elephant.png)
Enduring entertainer Cher has urged her nearly-2 million Twitter followers to help release elephant Billy from LA Zoo, whilst offering half-a-million dollars from her own pockets to get him to a sanctuary in San Andreas.
Cher tweeted to her "crew" (the affectionate name she gave her fanbase): "Will we let Ringling Bros. Circus (or any entity that comes to California) use bullhooks on the elephants that they hold hostage and torture for money? I stood helplessly by and did nothing as the LA Zoo drove Billy to a nervous breakdown! Outside experts all agreed - it is criminal. Crew, please take an interest in the abuse and maiming of these beautiful elephants that are caged and then tortured with bullhooks."
The 'I Hope You Find It' singer then offered half-a-million dollars to help get the Asian elephant to the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), a sanctuary in San Andreas which already houses a female African elephant who left the LA Zoo in 2007: "Billy has weighed heavily on my mind for many years. I would give half-a-million dollars for his release to the place that Bob Barker talked about (PAWS). LA Zoo holds Billy hostage! LA Zoo has abused him until all he does is rock back-and-forth, alone."
Cher - who owns a large collection of ornamental elephants - went on to write: "My dear crew, please take the time to go online and read Billy's story! Billy - LA Zoo. The LA Jail/Zoo is made up of liars. Go to this site: Earth in Transition. 14 Elephants have died in LA Zoo and Billy has spent almost all of his 27 years in a tiny space. Think! You are all so smart and kind, please put your heads together! I've just signed a letter that will be read Downtown tomorrow. Boycott circus!"
For more information about helping Billy, visit helpbilly.org.
Short shares:
Short shares:
- 'Closer To The Truth' has re-entered the Billboard 200 Top 10 at #8 this week (from last week's #11), and remains at #6 for a second week on the Canadian album charts.
- UK's mid-week album chart shows 'Closer To The Truth' at #13. Its final position will be revealed on Sunday.
HELP! For the past few days when I go your website, the font turns from black to white and it is impossible to read! Anyone else experiencing this??
ReplyDeleteCher please help us in Edmonton, AB Canada. We need to save Lucy from another year in solitary captivity in our frigid weather. Her health is failing here and she desperately needs to get help. Your name would greatly add exposure to our cause!! Please help her!
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Lucy could really benefit from your 'star power' please help her.
DeleteCher I live in Indiana and the State is going after the Circus coming here. Something has to be done!
ReplyDeleteI dont live in LA, i still emailed all the council men she suggested on tweeter in regard to BILLY
ReplyDeleteI am sending you and Billy the Elephant unconditional love and healing energy...thank you so much for helping in such a huge way to manifest his freedom...praying for his highest good...I am very aware of him and his suffering..a friend of mine Melya Kaplan, founder of Voice For The Animals Foundation in California, has worked for years to bring attention to his plight..I am an intuitive therapist, and healer of people, places and animals for over 40 years, and have participated in fundraisers for him in Hollywood..my healing center is in Indianapolis, but I have many clients in California..my assistant put your blog on my fb page..I will network this...thank you for all that you do...you are a beautiful Being of Light...M centerofpeace.com
ReplyDeleteI've been blogging about Lucy 66 years, paintings, How many ignorant Canadians will hold her back?How many Canadians will it take to make one elephant happy in our great country? How many Presidents and great people can allow this suffering to go on , Lucy is only a minute piece of this giant plan to alleviate suffering . well she can always have Ebola blown into her trunk. What's worse?
DeleteDear Cher - Thank you for the offer to fund Billy's release. The 3 elephants from Toronto Zoo were just successfully relocated to PAWS because of the generous funding offered by Bob Barker. Let's not give up on Billy. Thank you so much for being his advocate!
ReplyDeleteThank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping Billy. Please try to help other lon suffering elephants like Lucy and Limba in Canada. There are so many that need us. We long you!
ReplyDeleteCher, we are desperate to free Lucy in Edmonton, Canada. PLEASE help her also. We are up against a very conservative city council that refuses to allow an independent vet check and need all the support we can get. Bob Barker has been trying to help us in this struggle to send Lucy to a sanctuary but we need as much extra support as possible because council is still opposed. Here are the contact facebook pages - https://www.facebook.com/V4Animals / https://www.facebook.com/groups/13841416052/10151680265191053/?notif_t=group_comment
ReplyDeleteThis video shows Lucy's life in Edmonton, Canada. Poor Lucy suffers from arthritis which is exacerbated by cold temperatures. Another Canadian winter like this is about to start and Lucy needs your help, Cher. Please help Lucy ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcqF1aY3Rgo
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ReplyDeletePLEASES SAVE OUR AGING LUCY LADY FROM BEING ALL ALONE AND BEHIND BARS IN THE EDMONTON VALLEY ZOO.. THE WINTER IS VERY COLD HERE... -40C AND SHE HAS NO WINTER COAT ...HELP US SEND HER TO CALIFORNIA TO PAWS SO SHE CAN RETIRE HAPPILY AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS WITH OUR TORONTO LADIES... IT BRINGS ME TO TEARS TO SEE HER IN THIS ZOO AND TIME IS SO PRECIOUS...AND NOT TO FORGET LIMBA..
ReplyDeleteANNE AL MAZLOUM,
AJAX, ONTARIO, CANADA
There are so many desperate elephants in the world who need to be removed from horrible circumstances. Lucy in Edmunton, Canada. Limba in the Bowmanville Zoo in Toronto. Mali in Manila. Tania in Romania. And many more. There are many of us on elephant Facebook pages who have been trying for years to help these elephants. We could use someone with Star Power to help free these elephants. Could that be you?
ReplyDeleteLois Olmstead
Lafayette, California
march.for.elephants@gmail.com
I have always admired and respected you, Cher - never more than today...!
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a voice for Billy. So many animals need our advocacy. Please consider also championing for Lucy, a 38 yr old Asian elephant who lives alone at the Edmonton Valley Zoo in Canada and Limba, a 49 yr old Asian elephant at the Bowmanville Zoo in Canada. With the recent relocation of the elephants in Toronto to PAWS we must continue to work on behalf of others who are in unacceptable situations. These beautiful, intelligent, majestic animals deserve our respect, protection and to be cared for in the best possible facilities. Thank you for caring.
ReplyDeletethank you Cher for helping with 'Billy' ~ there are many more, Mali, Tania, Lucy and Limba ... and pray you can influence more to help with them all <3
ReplyDeleteOh Cher, Wow, bless you for caring about Billy. My family's always loved you, but for this and anything you can do for Lucy and the others like Billy, there are no words.
ReplyDeleteLarry Laverty
Oakland, California
Cher, thank you so much for your offer to help Billy. If we could only clone people like you and Bob Barker can you imagine what we could do for all of the suffering elephants and other animals whose only crime is being a beautiful being that humans want to exploit. Thank you so very much! Diana Morris, Hephzibah, Georgia.
ReplyDeletePlease can you help the Ringling elephants.
ReplyDeleteplease can you help to publicise the near extinction of Elephants and Rhinos,due to the increase in the demand for horn and ivory.xxxxxxxx
Cher, I commend your efforts to help elephants. You might be interested in my elephant story 'ECHO AND THE MAGICAL WHISPERS'. I'm donating net profits from the book to charity to save elephants from slaughter by poaching. Paul Haston. http://www.amazon.com/Echo-Magical-Whispers-ebook/dp/B00F1PD7V8/
ReplyDeleteCher you are amazing THANK YOU for caring about Billy! I know you will succeed and hope that you will continue to help more Elephants and raise awareness of the suffering and near extinction of the Elephants! Call Bob Barker he is very good at helping zoo Elephants find freedom! Godspeed Cher!
ReplyDeletePlease Cher know that so many people are, first very proud of you for caring but also willing to help. We need your influence to wake up the world to the horrible torture that elephants and many other animals endure in circuses. Circuses must stop! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDear Cher, Your offer is inspirational and I hope you can find a way of materializing your idea. Along with other people, I hope there is some way to help the other eles who need help, for Mali in Manila, Tania in Romania, and Lucy and Limba in Canada.
ReplyDeleteCher, thank you so much for what you are doing for Billy. Elephants should never live alone. If they are forced to, like so many in zoos and side shows, they live in despair and die before their time. I hope there is also some help on the way for a 53-year-old Asian elephant named Lucky, who lives alone in the San Antonio Zoo in horrible conditions. She has never known freedom and has been at the zoo in a tiny enclosure since she was 2 1/2! What a poor soul. Again, thank you again for being you, and doing great things for these sensitive, beautiful and spiritual creatures! Gratitude.
ReplyDeleteThis is very kind of you Cher! Elephants are such great creatures.
ReplyDeleteThank you Cher for all that you do. You are a true hero to many! Your strength, talent, wisdom and willingness to touch so many people and beings are inspirational. I wish there were more people in the world who shared as generously as you do. There are so many other beings that are trapped in zoos and theme parks that live as slaves, and need our help. Thank you for caring and helping Billy.
ReplyDeleteMali & the rest of the Elephants around the world have done nothing but time in prison , free Mali .
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing this issue to the mainstream media. Animals feel pain, love and joy just as we do. They only want to be surrounded by those that love them and whom they love. The way a person treats an animal is how they will treat you. Animals are not ours to exploit, abuse or kill! Please keep up your effort to stop animal abuse. It makes a huge difference!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for caring! Unfortunately, Billy is just tip of a heartbreaking iceberg. I wish every success in his overdue move to PAWS and hope the momentum of the elephant movement doesn't diminish until all souls are freed! xxx
ReplyDeleteCher, thank you you're a diamond. Anything to raise awareness of how elephants are treated in captivity and what the elephants face in the next few years is welcome. The ivory trade is going to cause the extinction of the African elephant possibly in the next ten years. We desperately need stars like yourself to help spread awareness that Ivory isn't cool. It causes terrible suffering and should be banned. They are even using cyanide in water holes now, killing hundreds of animals and birds, just to poach the elephants ivory. Many, many thanks once again. I've been a fan of your for years. God Bless xxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteIt seems like Billy's plight is teaching many of us how bad things are for the elephants. I truly had no idea how bad it was. It is nice to see something positive for a change.
ReplyDeleteThe BEST way to reach Cher is via her Twitter account. Cher goes on Twitter and does her best to answer. Of course when you get millions of hits it is crazy but at least she would get the idea that people are interested in helping these animals get a better life.
Dear Cher,
ReplyDeleteAs an advocate for wildlife all my life, I've become increasingly pessimistic about human's interest in preserving wildlife species. Thank you for restoring my faith by your pledge to help Billy the elephant. You've energized me enough to keep working to protect wildlife for another day.
Best, Janna, Denver
WARNING: Elephants may be hazardous to your heart... once you love one you simply cannot help but love them all! Thank you for opening your heart up for Billy. Your voice is being heard around the world...and you are making new fans for yourself and for elephants. They desperately need our help. Love!
ReplyDeleteAndrea Batlemento
Michigan
I know so little about this that I went online and saw so many sad things. It seems like these elephants and other wildlife have made people speak out. We do a lot with homeless or abused dogs and cats and do a lot of fostor care. Now we can find ways for the kids to get involved in these bigger issues. Reading about the horrible poaching was heart breaking for me.
ReplyDeleteTwo signs, being alone, and rocking back and forth is all I need to know that this elephant is extremely depressed. So happy you are taking the lead on this Cher. PAWS is an amazing sanctuary, one that I support (and there are not many I say this about) so I hope everyone gets behind this effort. Shame on you LA Zoo. You have been off my list for years. Lori Robinson from AfricaInside.org
ReplyDeleteCher, Thank you so much for pledging $500,000 to help save Billy, so many elephants need our help and stars like yourself highlighting their plight is what they all need so badly. Poor Limba is not only in a zoo but rented out to the circus aswell.. Please be an advocate for elephants in zoos and circuses. Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteI thank Cher for doing this because a lot of people look up to her. She is a good role model for everyone.
ReplyDeleteAll us humans need to be more in tune with the plight of helpless animals. I can see that so many people who posted on this topic truly care a LOT! It is nice to feel this positive energy!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU CHER FOR ALL YOU ARE DOING ! <3 XOX
ReplyDeleteKaren, are you related to Gregg Allman?
ReplyDeleteyes in a long round about way ;)
Deletesend Billy here to live his life in peace with others like him
ReplyDeletehttp://www.elephants.com/