Free All Captive Elephants (FACE), is a dedicated nonprofit organization working to rescue suffering elephants held captive in circuses and roadside zoos in North America. Our work is VITAL in getting captive elephants to accredited sanctuaries.  FACE is committed to getting elephants to sanctuaries accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). GFAS is the gold standard for sanctuaries.

The work of FACE is VITAL in getting captive elephants to the sanctuaries

waiting and ready to receive them.

*** Kristin Leppert, Program Director – Wildlife, North, Central and South America 

of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), explains:

“The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries recognizes and supports true sanctuaries that provide the highest quality of care for animals and exhibit ethical and operational excellence. GFAS Accredited Performing Animal Welfare Society in San Andreas, California and the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee are prime examples of true sanctuaries offering rescued elephants what they need: acres to roam, lakes to enjoy and most importantly, the company of their own species.” 

“True sanctuaries are not places animals go to die.

True sanctuaries are where once captive elephants go to LIVE.”

Robin Vitulle – FACE President/Cofounder, Interview, and chat with Lek Chailert – Founder Save Elephant Foundation and Elephant Nature Park (ENP), in Chiang Mai, Thailand. December, 2022.
Seeing firsthand how TRUE SANCTUARY heals the physical wounds, and emotional trauma that elephants endure while made to GIVE RIDES, LOGGING, STREET BEGGING, ZOO CAPTIVITY, CIRCUS PERFORMING, and other forms of human entertainment, was quite a beautiful thing to witness and is what we hope for all elephants still suffering across the world.

Meeting the magnificent elephants that have been individually rescued here was truly incredible. Seeing how they get to roam freely, without any intimidation or fear was wonderful to see. Witnessing how they blossom into the elephants they were born to be and forming new family herds was deeply emotional. This is what elephants need to thrive. Seeing what can be done here in Thailand and here in the United States, gives us the determination to get more suffering elephants OUT OF CIRCUSES and into TRUE SANCTUARY.

*ENP is an ethical rescue sanctuary that DOES NOT ALLOW any riding, bathing, painting or ANY form of forced interaction with visitors.  The programs offered at ENP are in place to educate and teach volunteers about caring properly for elephants and to advance the work that is VITAL to saving more captive elephants made to entertain and work in harsh and abusive situations.  The ULTIMATE GOAL is for elephants to be allowed to remain in the wild and never be captured and held captive for human entertainment.  

Bringing the awareness needed to spread knowledge throughout the world for suffering captive elephants is the KEY to bringing the CHANGE that will benefit elephants going forward so they can live their lives in peace without the brutality of captivity and human entertainment. NEVER RIDE AN ELEPHANT. NEVER SUPPORT CIRCUSES with animals.  Support organizations that work to bring awareness to help STOP the atrocities happening to elephants, and work to get suffering elephants into TRUE SANCTUARIES.  NEVER attend any performance or facility where elephants are forced to perform, paint, bathe or give rides. 

*Although everything that was experienced on this journey to Thailand will certainly add to the work of Free All Captive Elephants, all expenses for Robin to travel to Thailand was paid by her own personal funds. No donations to Free All Captive Elephants were used.