What We Do
We’re here to end the exploitation of elephants—everywhere it hides.
From circus arenas to roadside zoos to the breeding pens of North America, elephants are suffering in silence. The Weeping Elephant Project exposes this cruelty, educates the public, and pushes for cultural and corporate change to end it, permanently.
Our Work, At A Glance
Our Mission
Weeping Elephant Project works to end the confinement of elephants by opposing captive breeding and performance in the United States. Through public education, advocacy, and accountability, we work to improve the lives of elephants still held in captivity and drive meaningful change across institutions and regulators.
Our Goal
Our goal is to de-normalize elephant captivity in the United States and push for meaningful change within the facilities that still hold them. We work to shift public perception so that keeping elephants in zoos and circuses is no longer seen as acceptable, drive enforceable welfare standards, and put an end to captive breeding to break the cycle.
Our Action
We investigate facility practices, amplify expert voices through our podcast, and collaborate with organizations, educators, and advocates to hold elephant facilities accountable. Through public education, social media, investigative reporting, and direct engagement with institutions, we drive the changes captive elephants can't demand for themselves.
Every investigation, every campaign, every family that chooses not to buy a ticket — it starts with people like you. Elephants can't leave on their own. But together, we can dismantle the systems that keep them there.
Donate to our mission
We believe that awareness is most powerful when it leads to action. That’s why our work spans three core areas—each designed to dismantle the systems that exploit elephants and replace them with compassion, accountability, and truth.
1. Expose the Truth
We conduct ongoing investigations into circuses, zoos, and pseudo-sanctuaries that profit from the suffering of elephants.
Through open-source research, eyewitness accounts, and public documentation, we uncover the realities hidden behind closed gates—forced training, violent control, inadequate enclosures, and the enduring trauma of captivity.
We share these findings publicly, so families, policymakers, and the global community can make informed choices and demand change.
Our goal: to ensure that no act of cruelty is ever disguised as “care” again.
Our Approach
2. Educate and Mobilize
Change begins with understanding—and the courage to act on it.
We create accessible, research-backed resources that reveal the truth behind the entertainment industry and highlight what an elephant’s life should look like in the wild.
From parents teaching their children empathy to supporters advocating for bans on animal performances, we empower individuals to become voices for the voiceless.
Our content is designed for all ages and learning levels, helping audiences move from curiosity to conviction.
Our goal: to build a global movement that chooses compassion over exploitation.
3. Advocate for a Better Future
We collaborate with sanctuaries, conservationists, and policymakers to replace cruelty with compassion on a systemic level. That means advocating for:
Legal bans on elephant use in circuses and traveling shows
Retirement plans for captive elephants to accredited sanctuaries
Stronger welfare standards and oversight in zoos
Community-led conservation that prevents orphaning and habitat loss
By targeting both supply and demand, we’re building a future where elephants are respected, not displayed.
Our goal: to create a world where no elephant lives in chains.
Stay Informed, Stay Involved
Join our mailing list and stand with us, because change begins when compassion becomes action.
The Weeping Elephant Project is more than a campaign—it’s a community.
Every update, investigation, and policy win brings us closer to ending elephant exploitation for good.
Sign up for our updates to receive:
Early access to new campaigns
Organizational announcements
Ways to take immediate action and help elephants today