Rally to Free the Commerford Elephants

Join us as we rally for our elephant clients Beulah, Karen, and Minnie’s freedom!

The Commerford Zoo is once again starting its annual exhibition and exploitation of our elephant clients Beulah, Karen, and Minnie. On February 2nd at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA, where it’s expected to snow with below freezing temperatures, the zoo will bring the elephants and other nonhuman animals to serve as human entertainment at one of the many “kids fun fairs” it holds throughout the year. This will be the first time the elephants will be back in Massachusetts since their plight went viral in September after the Commerford Zoo forced them to give rides at the Big E fair.

During the rally, NhRP Executive Director Kevin Schneider and other staff will give updates on our litigation on behalf of Beulah, Karen, and Minnie and other efforts to obtain rights for autonomous nonhuman animals. We will also deliver our petition to the Commerford Zoo, which almost 250,000 people have signed, urging that they retire the elephants to sanctuary.

Following the rally we will hold a candlelight vigil in honor of Beulah, Minnie, and Karen. Artist Colleen Plumb will exhibit her acclaimed Thirty Times a Minute video projection installation, which shows dozens of captive elephants in zoos caught in unending cycles of stereotypic behavior and bearing the weight of an unnatural existence in their small enclosures.

View this post on Instagram

It was quite an honor to be invited to speak at the Performing Animals Welfare Society International Captive Wildlife conference in LA last weekend, speaking alongside the tireless brilliance from legal, science, and advocacy fields. Many thanks to Catherine Doyle. And hearing Ed Stewart from the PAWS Sanctuary was particularly moving. He and the late Pat Derby set in motion something so important that has grown: an understanding that animals are not for humans. And the @nonhuman.rights.project shifting how animals are viewed under the law: they are not mere ‘things’. Thirty Times a Minute project raises awareness about the plight of captive animals, entitled to recognition and protection of their fundamental rights. —————— The CA fires were/are scary and heartbreaking. My projection of #thirtytimesaminute in Joshua Tree was an utterly insufficient signal, sent out nonetheless, to all those needing some light. @psartmuseum @pawsark2000 @nonhumanlawyer @nonhuman.rights.project @bornfreefoundation @courtneymfern @sangita_iyer @pmlondon @hopeferdowsian @tonifrohoff @lauren.qqc #paulwaldeau #palmspringsartmuseum #joshuatree #elephants #rumbleforrights #pawssanctuary @radius.books @juliaccooke

A post shared by Colleen Plumb (@colleenplumb) on Nov 13, 2018 at 4:02pm PST

We will provide signs for attendees, but please feel free to bring your own. Please wear dark colors and remember that this is a peaceful and respectful demonstration. This is an event where we band together to advocate for the end of Beulah, Karen, and Minnie’s exploitation and their right to be freed from imprisonment.

RSVP here or email me at cfern@nonhumanrights.org. If you’re unable to attend, you can still help by sharing this post or the event page.

WHAT: Rally to Free the Commerford Elephants
WHEN: 1:00 pm – 3:00 p.m., candlelight vigil to follow at 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: DCU Center in Worcester, MA. We will meet on Major Taylor Boulevard in front of the center. Parking is widely available and locations can be found here.
WHY: Join the NhRP in raising awareness about the plight of Beulah, Karen, and Minnie and letting the Commerford Zoo know it’s time for the elephants to be sent to a sanctuary.

Thank you to everyone who has RSVPd so far. I hope to see you there!

View this post on Instagram

Please join us in Worcester, MA on February 2nd to #RumbleForRights and rally for the freedom of our elephant clients Beulah, Minnie, and Karen who are held captive and exploited by the Commerford Zoo. During the rally, we will give updates on our lawsuits and other efforts to obtain rights for autonomous nonhuman animals. Following the rally we'll hold a candlelight vigil in honor of Beulah, Minnie and Karen. During the vigil, artist @colleenplumb will exhibit her acclaimed Thirty Times a Minute video projection, which shows dozens of captive elephants in zoos caught in unending cycles of stereotypic behavior and bearing the weight of an unnatural existence in their small enclosures. Please click the link in our bio to learn more details about the event and how to sign up/share—we look forward to seeing you out there!

A post shared by Nonhuman Rights Project (@nonhuman.rights.project) on Jan 14, 2019 at 2:06pm PST