PETA Alert: Elderly, Injured Elephant May Be Forced to Perform in Upcoming El Zagal Shrine Circus

For Immediate Release:
March 28, 2025

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Ahead of the El Zagal Shrine Circus’s performances in Fargo starting April 4, PETA is sharing information about an elderly, disabled elephant named Betty who’s likely to be used in those performances and ask that you please include it in any coverage of the circus.

Elephants at the El Zagal Shrine Circus are frequently provided by the notorious Carden family, which has a long history of citations for violating federal animal welfare laws and is known for forcing elderly and ailing elephants to perform. Betty is about 56 years old and has been shackled, chained, and forced to perform in dozens of shows per year for decades—even as her health continues to decline and she’s developed lameness in her legs and apparent trunk paralysis. She has also repeatedly tested positive for tuberculosis in the past. You’re welcome to use the photo of Betty below, which was taken at a recent circus performance in Texas and shows her being forced to give rides while a handler next to her holds a bullhook—a sharp, steel-tipped weapon used to instill fear in elephants and force them to obey commands. Large vertical cracks can be seen in the nails of her hind feet—a painful and dangerous condition that can lead to infection, further lameness, and even necrosis. Painful foot and joint problems are one of the most common reasons captive elephants are euthanized.

Betty the elephant at a circus performance in Belton, Texas. The handler holds a bullhook and large, painful cracks are visible in the nails of her hind feet. Photo: PETA

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. Shrine circuses are among the last remaining shows that still use wild animals, who are trucked from city to city, forced to perform under threat of pain and punishment, and kept chained or caged almost constantly when they’re not performing.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.