Just released: Bo, a 34-year-old bull (male) elephant, will become the first resident of Elephant Refuge North America (ERNA), an 850-acre natural habitat refuge in Attapulgus, GA. He is currently scheduled to arrive on September 23.

Many of us remember Bo. He's seen here chained at the Dane County Alliant Energy Center during the annual Zor Shrine Circus. Bo has spent much of his life chained in place. He was owned by The George Carden Circus, the circus hired annually by the Zor Shriners .

The Alliance For Animals was instrumental in the introduction and passage of the Dane County ban elephant acts. We are greatly gladdened to learn that Bo now has a chance for a much more elephant-like life.

Elephant Refuge North America (ERNA) was founded by Carol Buckley, a recognized authority in rescue, rehabilitation and welfare of captive-held elephants. Carol commented, “The fact that George Carden is retiring Bo, a performing elephant in the prime of his life, to a refuge sets a new precedent for how performing elephants can live out their lives.”

You can read all about Bo here.

The members of AFA would like to convey how deeply disappointed we are with the State of Wisconsin for allowing another wolf slaughter to take place in the fall of 2021. As a group we met and discussed the strong feelings and thoughts that this news created in us. We believe that the fall wolf slaughter is wrong. It is not “conservation” and it is not “sport,” it is thrill killing, plain and simple.

We are incredibly thankful that we are not the only group in the state that is horrified another

wolf slaughter is to take place in November. We know that all animal activists are searching for ways to prevent or minimize the slaughter and we join wholeheartedly in those efforts.

We considered how we might make the most meaningful contribution to the fight to end the

wolf slaughter. We discussed the idea of purchasing licenses from the Wisconsin DNR in the

hope to limit the number of licenses sold to people who would actually use them to torture and kill innocent animals. We know this was a strategy used for the previous wolf slaughter season in an attempt to lower the number of wolves killed for entertainment.

As a group we decided against purchasing licenses in an attempt to lower the number of wolves slaughtered. Our concern is that the DNR will benefit financially from our efforts, allowing the DNR to continue to fund mass slaughter while enthusiastically referring to the slaughter as a “harvest” and claiming that their tactics are in the name of “conservation.”

Furthermore, we do not want to artificially boost the number of licenses applied for, creating a

situation where the DNR can point to high numbers of applications and claim that the

systematic torture and slaughter of these innocent animals was a “success” that should be

continued.

We pledge to continue to seek out effective ways to stop the useless killing and protect the

animals who share our land with us. We pledge to continue to raise awareness and work for

positive change within the government body that currently condones killing for entertainment.

We pledge to continue working toward the end the wolf slaughter in Wisconsin.