I visited the AZ Renaissance Festival yesterday and witnessed what I feel is animal abuse. Several elephants were given NO SHADE and made to walk around in a circle ALL DAY LONG in the HEAT giving rides to people on their backs. I witnessed the sadness in these elephant's eyes.  One reached up to get water from a plastic jug located at the wooden platform (where people get on and off) and was jabbed with a bull hook and denied water twice and forced to move on with an entire family of people on its back.  The use of a bull hook is very cruel as well as making an animal walk in direct sunlight in AZ.  These animals deserve at least a shade tent and a mister system as well as water anytime they want.

Most people don't realize that African elephants are beaten, chained, and denied everything that is natural and important to them in order to get them to perform tricks or give rides to people.  Elephants are one of the top smartest animals and can go mad from this type of abuse. This "attraction" at the Renaissance Festival can also be a danger to humans if someone were to fall off. Please sign this petition to tell the AZ Renaissance Festival to please stop supporting animal cruelty.

Thank You Very Much,
Sincerely,

--
Colleen Miller