From sand sculptures to an in-person protest, our Free Joyce campaign is here to stay.
Since World Elephant Day in August, our Free Joyce campaign has gained tremendous momentum. Our team is actively working both publicly and behind the scenes to pressure Six Flags Great Adventure to do the right thing and retire its elephants to a sanctuary where they belong.
Here’s a recap of what we’ve done in the last few months.
→ August 12: We partnered with local sand artist John Gowdy and created a sand sculpture at the beach in Long Branch, New Jersey, depicting Joyce and urging Six Flags to free her.
→ September 15: We submitted a complaint to the USDA after our aerial footage found Joyce had no access to outdoor shade during the summer. During a July heatwave, temperatures in Jackson hit 103 degrees.
→ September 22: For National Elephant Appreciation Day, we partnered with FLOAT to create one-of-a-kind, limited-edition T-shirts that raised money and awareness about our campaign.
→ September 19: Our digital ads on NextDoor, a neighborhood social media platform, went live. The ads raised awareness about Joyce in towns around Six Flags.
→ September 19: We launched full-page print ads with the Jackson Times and surrounding town papers for September and October.
→ September 24: News12 NJ, the state's largest news station, covered our campaign and the USDA complaint on an evening segment.
→ October 13: We launched specific social media advocacy groups on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn and mobilized supporters like you to comment on Six Flags's social profiles during Fright Fest, one of its most important events of the year.
→ October 17: Our Director of Communications published an op-ed in the Jackson Times and surrounding town papers on Joyce.
→ October 23: The USDA announced it found no violations with Six Flags's elephant exhibit. We stand by our position. The Animal Welfare Act has minimal welfare requirements, and we believe those standards fall far short of what elephants need to thrive.
→ October 26: We held an in-person protest less than two miles from Six Flags with 40 animal advocates. The Asbury Park Press, a prominent local paper, covered our event.
→ October 30: For Six Flags's busiest Halloween weekend, supporters like you submitted customer complaints on its website and sent direct emails to its Wild Safari team.
What's next?
Our team is strategizing for the remainder of the year and into 2027. We have exciting tactics in the works, so stay tuned for what's to come!
In the meantime, if you haven't already, sign our petition and check out our campaign activist toolkit.