Who could ever forget the scene in Dumbo when Dumbo's mother, chained up in a tiny train car labeled as a "mad elephant," reaches her trunk through the bars and cradles her baby? It's perhaps one of the most heartbreaking moments of the film.
While some aspects of Dumbo are definitely problematic, particularly the scene with the crows depicting negative African American stereotypes, the core messages of the film still resonate with many. It is the story of an outsider who finds self-confidence and success when he embraces his uniqueness. It is also the story of horrific animal cruelty found in American circuses.
The film's first scenes depict elephants stuffed into train cars way too small for them, forced to erect the big top in the pouring rain, and perform dangerous tricks for leering crowds. Dumbo's mother is deemed "mad" because she defends her baby against abuse by circus visitors, and then lashes out when circus workers confront her with whips and bull hooks.
These scenes may have been inspired by the treatment of elephants in circuses during the 1940s when the film was first released, but unfortunately not much has changed for elephants living in captivity today. Elephants like Nosey, Asha, Packy, Bamboo, and Billy still suffer while living a life behind bars in circuses and zoos.
October 23rd is Dumbo's 75th anniversary, and The Walt Disney Company is marking the occasion with a special edition DVD. What better way to celebrate the film's anti-captivity message and its title character than to support sending real life elephants living in captivity to a sanctuary?
Sign this petition to ask The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger to honor Dumbo by donating some of the film's special edition DVD proceeds to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.
