Elephant exploitation in Colorado!

6/18/24

We were shocked to learn that the Colorado Renaissance Festival continues to exploit elephants at their annual event.

In 2021, the state of Colorado passed the "Traveling Animal Protection Act" and this should have ended the use of elephants at the festival. Sadly, the festival is undermining the intent of the law by now claiming that their use of elephants is "educational." While they have gotten rid of the elephant rides they used to offer, the elephants are decorated and shown twice per day in a bogus attempt to assert their presence as education.

CWI has worked diligently in Colorado since 2017 to avoid exploitative displays of wild animals like the one now taking place at the Colorado Renaissance Festival. We are pursuing action with the state of Colorado to end this travesty, but in the meantime we need all animal lovers to speak out today!

Krissy, Jeanie, and Paige are owned by the for-profit business Trunks and Humps, which forces their three African elephants to take part in Renaissance festivals primarily for the purposes of giving rides. They are subjected to this for more than half of the year.

Simply stated: there is nothing educational about seeing an elephant wear a flower tiara and eat a watermelon. Forcing an elephant to sit is a "trick" and NOT natural or educational. The exploitation of these beautiful animals MUST END. 

The Colorado Renaissance Festival NEEDS to know that their archaic, out-of-touch elephant display is a relic of the past that should remain there.

It only takes a moment to sign, share, and make a difference. Please help us to get justice for Krissy, Jeanie, and Paige!