Patty, an elephant held at the Bronx Zoo, has been living in solitary confinement since 2018. She deserves better and we are calling on the Bronx Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society to transfer her immediately to one of the three accredited elephant sanctuaries in the United States.

Elephants are among the most intelligent and socially complex animals on earth. They live in tight-knit family groups, travel vast distances, and depend on companionship for their physical and psychological wellbeing. Solitary confinement is not care—it is cruelty.

The Bronx Zoo's elephant program has been a failure by any measure. Happy, who was captured from the wild as a calf, spent over two decades in isolation after her companion Grumpy was killed by fellow elephants Patty and Maxine in 2002. Rather than rehoming her to a sanctuary where she could have lived out her days with space and companionship, the Bronx Zoo kept her confined until her death on May 27, 2026. We cannot allow Patty to meet the same fate.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums explicitly states that no elephant should live in a herd of fewer than three. Patty has been living completely alone for years. The Bronx Zoo is in clear violation of this standard and has repeatedly ignored calls from advocates, scientists, and the public to act.

We, the undersigned, call on the Bronx Zoo and the Wildlife Conservation Society to:

• Immediately arrange for Patty's transfer to an accredited elephant sanctuary
• Permanently close the Bronx Zoo's elephant exhibit
• Commit to never housing elephants again

Patty has suffered long enough. New York City is no place for an elephant. The time to act is now.