Pony Open Thread: Shirley’s Story

Shirley, now 52, was just 5 years old when she was captured in her homeland and torn from her family. This Asian elephant was sold to the Kelly- Miller Circus, which forced her to perform for 25 years. In 1958, she and the entire circus were detained for weeks by Fidel Castro’s forces in Cuba. Several years later, she narrowly escaped death when she was evacuated just before the circus ship she was on caught fire and sank while docked in Nova Scotia.

In 1977, Shirley suffered a permanent leg injury from an attack by another elephant that ended her life with the circus. The Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo took Shirley. Fearing that her injury might put her at risk with the other elephants, they kept intelligent, social Shirley in solitary confinement for the next 22 years.

Then the Louisiana zoo curator learned about the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, the nation’s only natural-habitat refuge for Asian elephants.

At the time, the sanctuary was home to three other Asian elephants, Tarra, Barbara and Jenny. He contacted the sanctuary, which agreed to take Shirley, and arrangements were made for her journey to the safe haven.

When Shirley arrived at the sanctuary, she was scared to leave the trailer. But at last, she decided to back her way out of it, and the last chain she would ever wear was removed from her leg. Few of the onlookers could hold back their tears.

After a snack of fresh fruits and veggies, a cooling shower and rest, Shirley met Tarra, who gently inspected her injuries. They intertwined their trunks and “purred.” Then the gates to the barn were opened so that Shirley could explore her new surroundings. It took several hours for her to muster up the courage to step outside.

That evening, Jenny returned to the barn and discovered the newcomer-and an amazing thing happened. Jenny and Shirley frantically touched each other with their trunks and then began trumpeting together. Twenty-two years earlier, when Shirley was 30 and Jenny was just a baby, they had spent one winter together in the same circus. Although so much time had passed, they recognized each other instantly. Shirley and Jenny are inseparable now. Shirley is very protective, much like a mother watching over her daughter. After more than two decades apart, Jenny and Shirley will be together forever.

what happened to Shirley

maybe you’d like to sponsor an elephant at the elephant sanctuary

29 comments

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    • pfiore8 on October 20, 2007 at 00:08
      Author

    this is a story worth remembering

  1. Wonder what the odds are of convincing the spouse to go on a trek with me to an elephant sanctuary are. Well, if it isn’t far I suppose I can just fly solo.

  2. According to the link visiting is a bit tricky… still a worthy cause but I was going to give some money to the Heifer project thing this month.

    • RiaD on October 20, 2007 at 00:33

    If I had several million I’d open an animal sanctuary for animals just like Shirley. How cool she & Jenny recognized each other…like holocaust survivors years later…I godda go gedda dissue…

  3. in my pony party hopefully you like a couple of them….

    • nocatz on October 20, 2007 at 01:44

    • RiaD on October 20, 2007 at 02:07

    looks like Dianne from ‘Cheers’?

    • fatdave on October 20, 2007 at 05:23

    Good Lordy – I slept nearly all night. Alert the media!

    Tea Madam? It’s English Breakfast and there’s toast and reduced sugar marmalade from the Women’s Institute too.

    On the scale of nobility, the Elephant ranks considerably higher than humanity, as do Whales and Dolphins, most animals really. I’m waiting until Mrs fd is awake to watch the vids – she’ll want to see them if they are about heffalumps and my eyes will be in focus by then.

    • fatdave on October 21, 2007 at 01:03

    …a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. She cried, I cried then we both cried together. I’m so glad you did this essay pf. The story of Jenny’s passing broke my heart for Shirley. I’m 110% sure that these two will be together again though. I think we’ll send off for the book and  some T shirts – your 2XL is bigger than ours so mine will fit.

    While we are deconstructing the social and political monstrosities we have built, maybe we could. as a species, take a small wrecking ball to our arrogance and consider what restitution we might make to the animals – our equals and frequent betters.

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