San Andreas, Ca. – Bob Barker come on down! The famed game show host is stepping up for the animals once again. Barker is spending $880,000 to fly three elephants to a California sanctuary aboard a private Russian cargo plane.
The last remaining elephants at Toronto Zoo; Thika, Iringa and Toka will soon be turned loose at the PAWS Sanctuary in San Andreas, California. The elephants are being relocated amidst concerns that the Toronto climate is unsuited for tropical animals.
At first the three elephants had been scheduled to make the long arduous journey by foot. The issue became one of them developed a foot issue which could have made the trek fatal. That’s when Barker called and said he would personally pay for the air flight.
Barker said in a statement,
Tthe elephants “have suffered so much for so long and now they have an opportunity to live the rest of their lives at what has been described as ‘elephant paradise.’ To think that one of them might not survive the trip in a truck touched my heart and purse strings.”
The Performing Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) elephant sanctuary has acres of land for the pachyderms to explore including lakes, hills and flatlands; plus there are other elephants are on hand to meet.
The elephants will be transported in crates inside a Russian cargo jet before May 15. Barker said he plans on being at the sanctuary to personally greet the elephants.
Do you think when the elephants get off the plane Bob Barker will them them to “Come On Down”?