Toledo Zoo visitor spotted elephant trainer in distress, called for help

911 tape suggests keeper’s injuries more severe than first reported

Toledo Zoo patron Jennifer Kohler and her family walked up to an exhibit hoping to see 4,000-pound Louie the elephant go through some training exercises, she told The Blade Friday.

What the Findlay woman ended up doing instead that July 1 afternoon was to call 911 for help after she saw an elephant trainer – Don RedFox – in distress.

“I’ve been in the elephant cage at the Toledo Zoo, and the zookeeper here has just fallen over. He’s been attacked by an elephant. …” she told a dispatcher.

“He’s all by himself, and there’s nobody here. We’ve got people running for help, but we need an ambulance out here now.”

Ms. Kohler, along with her three children and her sister, had just walked up when they saw Mr. RedFox close a gate to an inner area to secure the animal that had just attacked him.

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