Rachel Mathews is an attorney and the director of the Captive Animal Law Enforcement division of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation. She works in behalf of animals, particularly elephants, who are held captive in circuses and roadside zoos. Her team’s many victories include prompting animal circuses to shut down or go animal-free, rescuing a long-suffering elephant from the exhibitor who neglected her for decades, and championing California’s statewide ban on using most animals in circuses. The opinions expressed in this article are her own.
Opinion: Elephant Rescue, Elephant Orphanage, Elephant Sanctuary, or Elephant Scam?
