#RumbleForRights
Help raise awareness of the world's first elephant rights lawsuits
Help raise awareness of the plight of captive elephants by rumbling for rights with the NhRP!
The Nonhuman Rights Project’s first elephant clients—Beulah, Karen, and Minnie (held in captivity for decades at Connecticut’s Commerford Zoo and forced to perform in circus and fairs) and Happy (held alone in captivity at the Bronx Zoo)—were only a few years old when they were taken from the wild and imported to the US decades ago. Instead of forming deep bonds with members of their herd, roaming their natural habitats, and making decisions about how to spend their days and live their lives, they became the property of human beings.
Sadly, Beulah and Karen are no longer with us. On September 15, 2019, Beulah collapsed and died at the Big E fair in West Springfield, MA, after the Commerford Zoo forced her to labor for them one final time. Karen died in March of 2019 in currently unknown circumstances with no announcement made by the Commerford Zoo.
Like all nonhuman animals in the US, even those who are demonstrably self-aware and autonomous with rich inner and social lives, elephants are considered legal “things” with no rights. Our understanding of elephants has only deepened over time, but their legal status has remained exactly the same. What this means in practice is that, as long as the people, businesses, and institutions that “own” elephants meet minimum welfare requirements, it’s still perfectly legal to do to them what we’d never do to self-aware, autonomous humans: deprive them of their bodily liberty.
What we’re doing: In November of 2017, we filed the world’s first lawsuit demanding recognition of elephants’ legal personhood and fundamental right to liberty, urging the Connecticut courts to order Beulah, Karen, and Minnie’s release to an elephant sanctuary where this right would be respected. On Oct. 2, 2018, we filed our second elephant rights lawsuit, this time on behalf of Happy, who is kept in isolation in a tiny exhibit in the Bronx Zoo. In the winter months, when the exhibit is closed, she lives in a holding facility with little to no access to the outdoors.
In memory of Beulah and Karen and for the sake of Minnie and Happy, who still have a chance at freedom, we are fighting in and beyond the courts for their release.
What you can do: We need you to help us spread the word about these lawsuits by:
1) signing and sharing our Change.org petition asking the Commerford Zoo to send Beulah, Karen, and Minnie to an elephant sanctuary (we have updated the petition with an announcement that Minnie is now the sole surviving Commerford elephant).
2) writing to the Bronx Zoo via our action alert if you’re in the US or emailing Bronx Zoo Director at jbreheny@wcs.org if you’re outside the US.
3) and “rumbling for rights” with us on social media.
A rumble is a type of elephant call. A member of an elephant family uses the “let’s go” rumble—the inspiration for our hashtag—to urge other members to move together in a certain direction. A perfect metaphor for online activism on behalf of elephants, we thought! 🙂
If you agree that elephants should be recognized as legal persons with the fundamental right to liberty, we encourage you to express your support on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and wherever else you see fit. Below, we’ve provided graphics you’re welcome to download and share and resources you can link to (the elephants’ court case pages, legal documents, blog posts, etc.). Whatever you choose to write, be sure to tag #RumbleForRights and the NhRP to help us ensure that this rumble, like actual elephant rumbles, travels far and wide.
If you’d like to set up or join rallies outside the Bronx Zoo or against a Commerford Zoo appearance in your city or state or share with us any footage you’ve taken of these elephants, please email us at info@nonhumanrights.org. We also welcome personal accounts of any experiences you’ve had concerning Beulah, Karen, Minnie, or Happy.
Suggested Facebook Posts 🐘
Post One: Elephants are self-aware, autonomous beings with complex emotional, social, and intellectual lives. Why are they still considered legal “things” with no rights? I support the Nonhuman Rights Project’s lawsuits demanding recognition of the legal personhood and right to liberty of captive elephant Minnie in Connecticut and captive elephant Happy in New York. #RumbleForRights
Post Two: Like so many elephants in the US and around the world, Minnie has spent almost her entire life in captivity, deprived of everything that makes life worth living for an elephant. It’s time to transfer her to a sanctuary not out of concern for her welfare, but respect for her rights. #RumbleForRights
Post Three: As a New York resident, I support recognition of the legal personhood and fundamental right to liberty of elephant Happy, held alone in captivity at the Bronx Zoo. #RumbleForRights
Post Four: Join me and the Nonhuman Rights Project in a #RumbleForRights for elephants! Learn more about the world’s first-ever elephant rights lawsuits, filed by the NhRP in Connecticut and New York with affidavits from world-renowned elephant experts.
Suggested Tweets 🐘
Tweet One: Elephants are autonomous beings who should be able to live freely. I support recognition of their @NonhumanRights. #RumbleForRights
Tweet Two: As an animal advocate, I support recognition of the @NonhumanRights of elephants Minnie and Happy. #RumbleForRights #FreeHappy #FreeTheCommerfordElephants
Tweet Three: As a #NewYork resident, I support recognition of the @NonhumanRights of elephant Happy at the Bronx Zoo. #RumbleForRights #FreeHappy
Tweet Four: [Your organization name] supports recognition of the @NonhumanRights of elephants Minnie and Happy. #RumbleForRights #FreeHappy #FreeTheCommerfordElephants
Tweet Five: The science is clear. When will the law catch up? #RumbleForRights for elephants and other autonomous nonhuman animals. @NonhumanRights #FreeHappy #FreeTheCommerfordElephants
Suggested Instagram Posts 🐘
Post One: #Elephants are self-aware, autonomous beings with complex emotional, social, and intellectual lives. Why are they still considered legal “things” with no rights? I support the @nonhuman.rights.project’s lawsuits demanding recognition of the legal personhood and right to liberty of captive elephants. #RumbleForRights #animals #animalrights #nonhumanrights #NhRP #FreeHappy #FreeTheCommerfordElephants
Post Two: Like so many #elephants in the US and around the world, the NhRP’s clients Minnie and Happy have spent almost their entire lives in #captivity, deprived of everything that makes life worth living for an elephant. It’s time to transfer them to #sanctuaries not out of concern for their welfare, but respect for their rights. #RumbleForRights #animals #animalrights #nonhumanrights #NhRP #sanctuary
Post Three: As a #Connecticut resident, I support recognition of the legal personhood and fundamental right to liberty of #elephant Minnie, held captive at Connecticut’s Commerford Zoo. As a self-aware, autonomous beings with a rich inner and social life who suffers every day she is deprived of her freedom, she is entitled to no less. #RumbleForRights #animals #animalrights #nonhumanrights #NhRP #sanctuary
Post Four: Join me and the @nonhuman.rights.project in a #RumbleForRights for #elephants! Learn more about the world’s first-ever elephant rights lawsuits, filed by the NhRP in Connecticut and New York with affidavits from world-renowned elephant experts such as Joyce Poole and Cynthia Moss. Their clients are Minnie and Happy. Both have spent almost their entire lives in captivity and are deserve to live freely in a sanctuary. #RumbleForRights #animals #animalrights #nonhumanrights #NhRP #science #law
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