World’s Most Depressed Elephant’s Condition Is Getting Even Worse

Betty has been called “the most depressed elephant in the world,” and it’s not an exaggeration. Torn from her home in Thailand as a baby and condemned to a lifetime of exploitation, the 56-year-old elephant has spent nearly four decades in chains under the Carden family, which drags her from town to town to force her to perform in circuses.

What a World-Renowned Elephant Expert Said About Betty

In June 2025, a devastating report from one of the world’s leading elephant experts confirmed that Betty is on the brink of catastrophe: Her body is breaking down, her spirit is shattered, and unless she’s released to a reputable sanctuary, she could soon collapse—fatally.

The report, conducted by Dr. Chris Draper, warned that Betty is likely to have a “catastrophic and likely fatal collapse in the near future” if she is not released to a true sanctuary where she could rest and get medical care. Here are just a few of the damning details:

• Betty appears withdrawn, unresponsive, and physically subdued, frequently standing still with her eyes closed and her trunk on the ground—what the report calls “behavior inconsistent with good welfare in elephants.”
• She shows signs of significant physical compromise, including impaired mobility in her right front leg, consistent with joint pain or injury.
• The elderly elephant’s trunk function appears weakened, with visible atrophy in the central section. While healthy elephants use their trunks to communicate, eat, bathe, and more, Betty simply drags her trunk while walking, suggesting serious muscular or neurological impairment.

How Much Has Betty’s Condition Worsened Since Then?

Just three months after the June 2025 report, Draper noted that Betty’s condition had gotten significantly worse. The many issues previously reported still require investigation and treatment, but the expert is now “very concerned” by several new or worsening health issues.

According to his observations, made at a Carden Circus performance in September 2025, Betty suffers significant physical and psychological issues, many of which have worsened since May. Some of these issues include:

• Significant cracks in her nails on both rear feet, which widen and flex as she moves. Cracks to this degree likely cause intense pain while walking and standing, and are further aggravated by the additional stress and weight on her rear legs when being forced to give rides or perform.

• Compromised use of her trunk. According to the elephant expert, Betty did not use her trunk to touch her body or scratch herself even once, which is “entirely abnormal.” Betty consistently holds her trunk straight down, dragging along the floor constantly while walking. To use her trunk to grasp Janice’s tail—as she is required to do during performances—she must lift her entire head. It seems like she can use the tip of her trunk to manipulate objects, but struggles to move it otherwise. 
• Betty’s seemingly injured front right wrist and/or knee. She does not bend the lower part of the leg when walking as a healthy elephant would. Despite the apparent injury, the Carden Circus forces Betty to carry up to six humans during, before, and after performances. Part of the show’s choreography even forces Betty to place her wounded leg on a small stand and pivot her body around it. This undoubtedly puts substantial additional pressure on an already compromised front leg joint, and also causes her rear feet with cracked nails to experience increased pressure and lateral movement.
• Subjecting Betty and fellow elephant Janice to distressing sound levels during Carden Circus performances. During the shows, sound levels of at least 95 dB occur. Since the elephants are housed close to the arena with nothing but a curtain to soften the noise, they likely endure these intense sound levels during rehearsals and performances. Elephants’ ears are incredibly sensitive to sound and vibration, so the noise from the Carden Circus crowd is likely excruciating for them.

Betty’s apparent partial trunk paralysis may stem from being forced to stand on her head—putting all of her several tons of weight on her trunk—in dozens of shows for years. Last year alone, the Cardens forced Betty to appear in nearly 300 shows. She has also repeatedly tested positive for tuberculosis in the past.

When the Carden family isn’t making her perform uncomfortable tricks or carry riders on her back, they keep Betty shackled, chained, and confined to cramped trailers for long distances.

Betty’s foot and joint issues have been reported to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but have continued to get worse, and it’s clear that the Carden family intends to work her to death as long as people continue buying tickets to its performances. Carden Circus is among the last remaining shows that still use elephants.

Authorities must take these observations seriously and confiscate Betty from Carden Circus now.

Subject

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I’m disappointed that Carden Circus continues to exploit animals in its shows. Please transition to animal-free entertainment and send Betty, Janice, Vicky, and Cindy to a reputable sanctuary, as you did for Bo. Please also send the camels and other animals to reputable facilities. Circuses should be fun for everyone, but they’re not fun for the elephants, camels, and other animals who are forced to perform confusing and often painful tricks for your shows. Circuses like Circus Vargas and Cirque Italia are dazzling audiences without exploiting animals, and even Ringling Bros. has ditched animal acts. Hundreds of venues and dozens of communities nationwide are banning or restricting animal circuses. At a reputable sanctuary, the remaining elephants would have the opportunity to explore a naturalistic habitat and receive the care that they desperately need. You did right by Bo—now please do the same for the other animals. Thank you for your consideration.

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PETA’s Campaign to Free Betty

PETA’s Campaign to Free Betty

December 1, 2025: PETA Proposes Grunge Band to Make Some Noise for Betty

PETA is encouraging iconic grunge band Alice in Chains to get loud for Betty with a temporary name change that reminds everyone to Stay Away from animal-abusing circuses.

To amplify efforts to rescue Betty, PETA sent a letter to Alice in Chains, asking them to temporarily change their name to “Betty in Chains.” The short-term name change would turn up the volume on the plight of the elderly elephant, who has literally spent her life in chains.

November 29, 2025: PETA Supporters Stand Strong Amid Citations

When PETA supporters stood in the cold, snowy weather outside the Carden Circus in Hammond, Indiana, police issued six citations to the animal allies, while the real violations occurred inside the circus. Each citation was for one hour of protesting with a 20-foot-tall inflatable “crying elephant,” used to emphasize the appearance of the elderly and disabled Betty. The circus continues to cart her from city to city, even during winter storms, and forces her to perform despite the deterioration of her body and spirit.

October 8, 2025: PETA Protests at Carden Circus to ‘Free Betty’

Passionate PETA supporters rallied at all five Carden Circus shows in Memphis, TN, over the weekend to protest its exploitation of the elderly, disabled elephant Betty. With our 20-foot inflatable crying elephant, our message was impossible to miss!

Protesters handed out thousands of leaflets to attendees, including our “iSpy” leaflets that point out Betty’s numerous health issues. Many attendees came to the show because the circus gave out free tickets and were shocked to learn the company exploits animals.

Betty did not appear during performances while PETA protested. However, Janice, the other elderly elephant exploited by Carden Circus, was still forced to give back-breaking rides and perform painful tricks. We’ll keep speaking up for Betty and Janice until they’re sent to a reputable sanctuary and finally able to live the rest of their lives peacefully.

June 26, 2025: ‘Elephants’ Confront Shriners Over Circus Cruelty at Imperial Session in Atlanta

At the Shriners International 151^st Imperial Session in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2025, a herd of PETA supporters in elephant masks rallied outside the main venue, holding signs reading “Free Me. 50+ Years of Misery.” The spectacle was part of PETA’s campaign urging Shriners International to ban cruel animal acts from all Shrine circuses and let elephants like Betty live in peace.

Take Action for Betty!

In nature, female Asian elephants live in tight-knit social circles, develop lifelong friendships, and are deeply loyal to their friends and family members. In the lush tropical forests of Asia, they roam vast distances each day, forage, play, and bathe in the mud. Circuses and other cruel  displays deny these social, complex animals everything that makes their lives meaningful. It’s due time to free Betty—and every other animal exploited by the Carden family.

Please urge Carden Circus to stop its cruel live animal acts and send Betty—and all the other animals it exploits—to reputable sanctuaries.