No Elephant Rides

At San Diego County Fair This Year!

PAWS partnered with the Orange County Affiliate of the League of Humane Voters-California and local advocates and organizations for this victory. We have all campaigned against the rides for years, and were the only presence at recent San Diego County Fair board meetings presenting testimony and providing critical new information demonstrating that elephant ride provider, Have Trunk Will Travel, could not comply with a new safety policy that the board considered to be important.

"This is a great win for the elephants that has been a long time coming," said PAWS president and co-founder, Ed Stewart. "Elephant rides send the wrong message to people about how we treat the Earth's endangered species. These rides promote nothing but disrespect for elephants at a time when we need to get serious about saving them in the wild."

Have Trunk Will Travel Kari Johnson claims that the company made the decision not to attend the Fair, but her excuses ring hollow. PAWS and our partners will continue to monitor the Fair board and ensure that the elephant rides are a thing of the past.

Alison Stanley, Director of the Orange County Affiliate of the League of Humane Voters of California, stated: "I am extremely pleased that this is the first time in decades that county fairs in Southern California will not support elephant cruelty by offering elephant rides. Elephant rides have no place at the San Diego County Fair or anywhere else."

"Stopping the rides was a team effort and all our hard work paid off for the elephants," said PAWS director of science, research and advocacy, Catherine Doyle, who has testified at several Fair board meetings. "Elephant rides are outdated, unsafe and inhumane, and PAWS will continue to campaign against elephants rides until every single one of these cruel attractions is shut down."

Our sincere thanks to all of our supporters who stood by us at Fair board meetings, signed petitions, wrote letters and sent emails.

Please support PAWS' advocacy efforts and help us realize more of these wins by making a contribution today!

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