[Text taken from the original event announcement from the Oakland Zoo]

A number of people came on May 19 for the Celebrating Elephants Evening Lecture and Silent Auction. Attendees enjoyed wine and hors d'oeuvres while bidding on unique animal themed treasures at the Reception and Silent Auction. The Evening Lecture featured guest speaker Pat Derby, Director of the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and leader in animal welfare and rescue.

Pat Derby's advocacy for animals started more than 35 years ago when she began working with captive wildlife in movies and television, including Gunsmoke, Lassie, Daktari and Flipper. Witnessing the neglect and abuse prevalent in animal training, she was determined to initiate better standards of care and handling for performing animals.

In 1985, Pat Derby and Ed Stewart formed the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) to advocate on behalf of performing animals and provide care for abused and abandoned captive wildlife at their sanctuary located in Galt, CA. PAWS now maintains 3 sanctuaries: 30 acres in Galt, CA, 100 acres in Herald, CA (the Amanda Blake Wildlife Refuge), and now "Ark 2000", a 2300 acre natural habitat in San Andreas, CA. "Ark 2000" is now home to 3 African elephants, including Lulu recently received from the San Francisco Zoo, and 5 Asian elephants, including Winky and Wanda recently arrived from the Detroit Zoo. The elephants' 100 plus acres habitat is similar to the natural habitats of wild elephants and provides opportunities for the elephants to engage in activities which stimulate natural behaviors. Pat received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work to protect captive wildlife at the In Defense of Animals Guardian Awards Celebration on October 4, 2004.

All proceeds from the Celebrating Elephants events benefited the Amboseli Elephant Research Project and the Performing Animal Welfare Society.