Help raise awareness of the world's first elephant rights lawsuit

Thank you for wanting to #RumbleForRights for elephants!

The Nonhuman Rights Project’s first elephant clients—Beulah, Karen, and Minnie—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 humans, used in traveling circuses and fairs and other forms of entertainment.

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: On Nov. 13, 2017, we filed the first-ever lawsuit demanding that a common law court recognize our elephant clients as legal persons with the fundamental right to bodily liberty protected by a writ of habeas corpus and immediately release them to an appropriate sanctuary, such as the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), which has already agreed to provide permanent sanctuary to them.

What you can do: We need you to help us spread the word about this lawsuit by “rumbling for rights” 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 fundamental rights, 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 page, 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.

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 lawsuit demanding recognition of the legal personhood and right to bodily liberty of elephants Beulah, Karen, and Minnie in Connecticut. #RumbleForRights

Post Two: Like so many elephants in the US and around the world, Beulah, Karen, and Minnie 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 a sanctuary not out of concern for their welfare, but respect for their rights. #RumbleForRights

Post Three: As a Connecticut resident, I support recognition of the legal personhood and fundamental right to bodily liberty of elephants Beulah, Karen, and Minnie, held captive at Connecticut’s Commerford Zoo. As self-aware, autonomous beings with rich inner and social lives, they’re entitled to no less. #RumbleForRights

Post Four: Join me and the Nonhuman Rights Project in a #RumbleForRights for elephants! Learn more about the first-ever elephant rights lawsuit, filed by the NhRP in Connecticut with affidavits from world-renowned elephant experts such as Joyce Poole and Cynthia Moss. Their clients are Beulah, Karen, and Minnie, who’ve spent almost their entire lives performing for human entertainment.

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 Beulah, Karen, & Minnie. #RumbleForRights

Tweet Three: As a #Connecticut resident, I support recognition of the @NonhumanRights of elephants Beulah, Karen, & Minnie. #RumbleForRights

Tweet Four: [Your organization name] supports recognition of the @NonhumanRights of elephants Beulah, Karen, & Minnie. #RumbleForRights

Tweet Five: The science is clear. When will the law catch up? #RumbleForRights for elephants & other autonomous nonhuman animals. @NonhumanRights

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 lawsuit demanding recognition of the legal personhood and right to bodily liberty of elephants Beulah, Karen, and Minnie in #Connecticut. #RumbleForRights #animals #animalrights #nonhumanrights #NhRP @pawsark2000

Post Two: Like so many #elephants in the US and around the world, Beulah, Karen, and Minnie 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 @pawsark2000 #sanctuary not out of concern for their welfare, but respect for their rights. #RumbleForRights #animals #animalrights #nonhumanrights #NhRP

Post Three: As a #Connecticut resident, I support recognition of the legal personhood and fundamental right to bodily liberty of #elephants Beulah, Karen, and Minnie, held captive at Connecticut’s Commerford Zoo. As self-aware, autonomous beings with rich inner and social lives, they’re entitled to no less. #RumbleForRights #animals #animalrights #nonhumanrights #NhRP @pawsark2000

Post Four: Join me and the @nonhuman.rights.project in a #RumbleForRights for #elephants! Learn more about the first-ever elephant rights lawsuit, filed by the NhRP in Connecticut with affidavits from world-renowned elephant experts such as Joyce Poole and Cynthia Moss. Their clients are Beulah, Karen, and Minnie, who’ve spent almost their entire lives performing for human entertainment. #RumbleForRights #animals #animalrights #nonhumanrights #NhRP #science #law @pawsark2000

Images

Right click and “Save Image As” to download and add to your Facebook and Instagram posts and/or tweets.