When you gotta go...

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When you gotta go...


PADERBORN, GERMANY - Overzealous zookeeper Friedrich Riesfeldt fed his
constipated elephant Stefan 22 doses of animal laxative and more than
a bushel of berries, figs and prunes before the plugged-up pachyderm
finally let it fly -- and suffocated the keeper under 200 pounds of poop!

Investigators say ill-fated Friedrich, 46, was attempting to give the
ailing elephant an olive-oil enema when the relieved beast unloaded on
him like a dump truck full of mud.

"The sheer force of the elephant's unexpected defecation knocked Mr.
Riesfeldt to the ground, where he struck his head on a rock and lay
unconscious as the elephant continued to evacuate his bowels on top of
him," said flabbergasted Paderborn police detective Erik Dern.  "With
no one there to help him, he lay under all that dung for at least an hour
before a watchman came along, and during that time he suffocated. It
seems to be just one of those freak accidents that happen sometimes -- a
billion-to-one shot, at least."

The heartbreaking tale of constipation and tragedy began April 23 when
the conscientious zookeeper noticed that his prize, 8,000-pound African
elephant didn't seem to be producing his usual poop aplenty.

"Friedrich had actually been concerned for several days because he
knew that severe constipation can kill an elephant," assistant zookeeper
Kurt Herrman recalled.  "He told me he was going to stay late that
Thursday night to treat Stefan with laxatives and possibly give him an 
enema. I offered to help, but he sent me on home, saying he had 
everything under control."

But two hours later, horrified night watchman Walter Pleuger found
Friedrich lying lifeless under a mound of muck, his body visible only
from the knees down.   "I had never really thought about it before," Det.
Dern said.  "But obviously, giving an elephant an enema can be a very
dangerous activity -- and not something that should be attempted alone."


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