6 Lonely Animals Spending Another Valentine’s Day Without Loved Ones

Posted by Calvin on February 01, 2024

Most animals (including humans) crave closeness with members of their species. 🥰 So why are some humans forcing captive wild animals to live for years—or even decades—without companions or their families? 😨 We can’t let shady exhibitors deprive animals of the opportunity to satisfy their most basic needs—so help us make sure that these lonely animals don’t have to spend one more Valentine’s Day (or any day) alone!

Bubbles the Elephant

In nature, elephants live in female-led fams, foraging, playing, bathing, and raising babies together. 🐘 But Bubbles, an elephant who was imported from Zimbabwe, hasn’t had contact with another member of her species in over 30 years. 😢 Elephants’ social and physical needs can’t be met in confinement. Period.

In roadside zoos and circuses, elephants often experience psychosis, obesity, foot problems, and arthritis, which can all cause intense suffering and early death. Bubbles deserves to enjoy life at a real sanctuary where she could roam, play in a pond, forage for fresh vegetation, and make friends with other elephants—so let’s give her a helping hand. 👋

Please send polite comments to:
Bhagavan “Doc” Antle
[email protected]

Feel free to use our sample letter below, but remember that your own words are always more effective:

I am writing to urge you to do what is best for Bubbles and retire her to an accredited sanctuary, where, in an effort to best replicate her life in the wild, she would have the opportunity to roam, forage, wallow, and explore a large, naturalistic habitat. If you truly care about her well-being, you will act in her best interests and let her live out the remainder of her days in a reputable sanctuary such as The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee or the Performing Animal Welfare Society in California. Thank you for your consideration of this serious matter. 

Simba the Lion and Jambo the Giraffe

If Simba could live in nature, he’d be with a pride of about 15 other lions, raising cubs in a vast area of up to 100 square miles. 🦁 But this majestic lion is stuck living on a tiny patch of dirt behind a chain-link fence while tourists gawk at him. 😟 Jambo the giraffe doesn’t have it much better. He should be living with his family of about half a dozen giraffes. 🦒 Instead, he can only peek over a sheet metal fence on a dirt lot.

Both Simba and Jambo are trapped at Tregembo Animal Park in North Carolina, a facility that’s been repeatedly cited for not giving animals the medical care they need. In 2017, PETA supporters helped move two bears, Ben and Bogey, from this hellhole to a lush new home at an accredited sanctuary—so let’s do the same for Simba and Jambo. 💪

Please send an e-mail to [email protected] politely urging Tregembo Animal Park to retire all the animals suffering there to reputable facilities where they could finally get the care that they desperately need.

Bow the Chimpanzee

After hearing from PETA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cited vlogger Aya Katz for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act. She had been chasing clout by exhibiting a chimpanzee named Bow online without a license. She was also selling merch of herself with the animal. 😒 Before citing her, the USDA spent months trying to contact her without receiving a reply. Instead, the wannabe influencer has kept selling merch and posting about the chimpanzee on her IG and YT accounts despite the citation. 🤦

In 2021, PETA wrote to Katz urging her to let Bow—one of the last chimpanzees in the country kept in isolation—go to an accredited sanctuary. Keeping chimpanzees as “pets” isn’t good for them and puts humans at risk of serious injury. 😬 We have overseen the rescue of 24 chimpanzees, including seven who were previously held in solitary confinement. By sharing Bow’s story with friends, you can help build up support for his release. 🙌

Lucie the Lion

Don’t let the fancy name fool you—the Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation is straight-up abusive. The roadside zoo forces Lucie the lion to live inside a cramped, barren wire cage by herself every day so that humans can stare at her. 😭 Instead of exploring huge areas of grassland, raising cubs, and sharing mothering responsibilities with other lions, Lucie paces back and forth in her cage—a sign of psychological distress.

The facility’s owner, Roberta Kirshner, has received a ton of citations from the USDA, including for denying Lucie medical care. Observers have noted that Lucie has trouble walking and is even hesitant to stand. Former volunteers have told PETA that Kirshner often hits animals—even those with broken bones—and that many animals die at this hellhole. 😱 Help us get Lucie to a reputable sanctuary.

Please e-mail Roberta Kirshner at [email protected] to ask that she transfer all the animals to reputable facilities.

Corky the Orca

In 1969, humans in boats attacked a pod of orcas off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, and tore calves away from their mothers to sell them into captivity. 🐬 One of those calves is named Corky. Her siblings and other members of her pod have been able to swim free in open waters, but Corky’s been forced to swim endless circles at SeaWorld San Diego and other shoddy marine parks for over 50. Freaking. Years. 😰

Unlike the other animals in this article, Corky has other orcas as tankmates—but she’s been attacked by other frustrated orcas with no way to escape. ☹️ Imagine how miserable you’d feel if you were locked in a tiny enclosure with people you didn’t vibe with. Corky will keep living this sad, lonely life unless we do something—so please urge SeaWorld to release her to a seaside sanctuary and share the petition with friends.

*****

Feel like you’re on a roll helping to get animals released to sanctuaries? Keep up the good work by urging Carden Circus to do the same—the facility still forces elephants, camels, and other animals to perform painful and confusing tricks for crowds! 😡