Rani, a 27-year-old Asian elephant at the St. Louis Zoo in Missouri, tragically passed away after a loose dog entered the zoo and scared her to death. What happened: At 3:39 p.m. on Oct. 13, a small dog was seen running around in a non-public area near the Elephant Barn. Although Rani did not directly encounter the dog, the canine’s presence caused her distress due to the vocalizations of the herd.