Jun 18, 2008 8:57 am US/Eastern
Group Calls For Investigation Into Elephant Death
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Petal, 52, was found dead at the Philadelphia Zoo last week.
CBS
An animal rights group has filed a complaint calling for an investigation in to the death of the oldest zoo elephant in the country last week.
The international group, In Defense of Animals, is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to look into the death of Petal, a 52-year-old elephant at the Philadelphia Zoo.
The group hopes the USDA will review surveillance footage from the zoo in order to determine if there was a failure to provide prompt care for a preexisting condition, such as arthritis or foot disease.
In a statement, the group said "the fact that Petal apparently stopped lying down to sleep could have been indicative of underlying health problems."
According to the organization, four elephants have died at zoos across the country this year.
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