Elephants with sore feet fitted with custom-made boots

Kazakhstan News.Net
Thursday 13th December, 2007

Two elephants at Singapore's Night Safari are celebrating the holidays in giant, custom-made boots designed to ease pain from their wounded feet, the facility said Thursday.

The pachyderms, Tun, 20, and Jamilah, 30, are now walking in boots from Gore-tex, known for its tough outdoor apparel.

WL Gore and Associates, the brand's maker, made the $20,000 footwear as a Christmas gift for the elephants on learning of their plight.

Zoo veterinarian Sonja Luz, 35, said she was inspired by her Gore-tex jacket and wrote to the company for help.

Tun's right front leg is stiffer and longer than her left after she was injured in 2003 during a mating attempt, Luz said. The extra pressure on her shorter front left leg created lesions on the sole.

Jamilah has pressure sores on her front feet from walking.

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