New Bedford’s Beloved Ruth the Elephant Enters Hospice Care

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — One of New Bedford’s beloved Asian elephants at the Buttonwood Park Zoo has entered hospice care.

Ruth, the 66-year-old Asian elephant who has been at the BPZoo since 1986, will live out her final days in end-of-life care.

“The team knows that every day with Ruth is a gift,” said Shara Rapoza, BPZoo’s Assistant Director and Elephant Manager. “We are taking our cues from her, allowing her to guide us on next steps.”

According to the zoo, the animal care team “made the decision to focus on end-of-life care based on (Ruth’s) age-related health issues and discussions with outside elephant veterinarians and large animal specialists.”

“Ruth is a true icon in New Bedford,” said Gary Lunsford, Director of Zoological Services. “From the moment I arrived here over two years ago, I could see how special she is to our community and to our staff members.”

The zoo said at 66 years old, Ruth is one of the oldest elephants in professional care. The median life expectancy for female Asian elephants is 47.

“Hospice care for an elephant has some similarities to the specialized care humans receive with a life-limiting illness,” Rapoza said. “Veterinary and elephant staff are working together, focusing on Ruth’s care, comfort and quality of life.”

Ruth’s Health Issues Have Taken a Toll on the Elephant

“We all care for Ruth deeply, so it has been extremely challenging to watch her decline, as none of us want to see her in pain,” said BPZoo veterinarian Dr. Emmy Budas.

The zoo said Ruth arrived in New Bedford in 1986 “already diagnosed with skeletal conformational abnormalities, resulting in an uneven distribution of pressure on parts of her feet and joints while walking and standing.”

“This chronic abnormal distribution of weight has resulted in Ruth developing significant arthritis,” Dr. Budas said. “Just as with any other geriatric animal, arthritis progresses over time. Now at 66 years old, Ruth's mobility has decreased, as has the range of motion of her joints.”

Ruth has also battled proliferative pododermatitis, which causes too much tissue to grow around the nails, toes, or pads of her feet. The pododermatitis developed secondary to Ruth's uneven distribution of her weight on her feet.

By 2021, the pododermatitis had become so severe that the zoo had a team of veterinary and elephant foot experts come in to assist with her treatment.

“At that time, Ruth became the pioneer for a new treatment of pododermatitis in elephants, which involves carbon dioxide gas chamber treatment surrounding the foot followed by application of canker powder,” the zoo said. “This treatment was so beneficial, it is now being used in other elephants worldwide. With this continued treatment, in addition to regular corrective trimming of her nails and footpads, Ruth's pododermatitis stabilized.”

However, years of treatments and pain management had caused a decline in Ruth’s gait. She was also shifting her weight off her limits and was choosing to exercise less, so the team would allow her to remain inside her barn in order to relax and keep the pressure off her feet and arthritic joints.

"We have Ruth on multiple pain medications daily, as well as supplemental pain management therapies, such as cold laser therapy and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy,” Dr. Budas said. “The challenges with administering various forms of pain management for an elephant is that she needs to be willing to participate in her treatments. We are so grateful that Ruth loves her biscuits and will tolerate these long sessions of pain management.”

Ruth Has Also Lost All of Her Teeth

The zoo has also had to modify Ruth’s diet, carefully chopping her hay and cooking all of her produce. This past summer, she lost her final set of teeth, so the team continues to adjust how her food is prepared so she can continue to enjoy her favorite foods, the zoo said.

The Zoo Will Make Ruth's Remaining Days the Best Possible

After 38 years, Ruth’s life is winding down but she will receive the best care possible for as long as she can keep going.

“Her long life is a testament to the care she has been receiving for the past 38 years and the love and dedication the staff will continue to provide,” Lunsford said. “We anticipate an outpouring of support from those who love Ruth as much as we do, and please know every member of the staff, current or former, appreciates it very much.”