Ahead of their upcoming NFL halftime show in Munich, PETA has urged Cage The Elephant to temporarily change their name to Free The Elephant to raise awareness for a captive animal.
- PETA requested that Cage The Elephant temporarily change their social media names to Free The Elephant for one week.
- The animal rights organisation aims to rally support to retire an elephant named Okha to a reputable sanctuary.
- The band is scheduled to perform during the New England Patriots versus Detroit Lions game this Sunday, November 15, nme.com reported.
The animal rights organisation claims in a press release that an elephant named Okha has spent most of her life forced to perform in the circus under the threat of punishment, nme.com reported. PETA is rallying support to help retire her to a reputable sanctuary.
PETA states that Okha is currently being hauled around in a trailer with an exhibitor named Brian Franzen, nme.com reported. The organisation alleges that Franzen has a history of felony cruelty to animals charges and was caught on camera yanking and striking an elephant with a bullhook, according to nme.com.
In a letter sent directly to the group, PETA wrote: “There ain’t no rest for Okha. We think you’d agree that she deserves the chance to spend her remaining years in peace with care, dignity, and respect,” nme.com reported. The letter adds that lending a rendition of their iconic name for a short while could help end animal cruelty in circuses.
PETA reports organising more than 30 demonstrations on Okha’s behalf, contacting venues hosting animal acts, and rallying tens of thousands of supporters to call for her retirement, nme.com reported. The organisation is also encouraging people to call on venues to stop hosting circuses that use animals, according to nme.com.
PETA ask Cage The Elephant to change their name "Lending a rendition of your iconic name for a short while could… help us come a little closer to ending animal cruelty in circuses" https://t.co/I4CK7HsPl7
The band has yet to respond publicly to PETA’s request, and nme.com reported contacting the group for comment. Franzen has also not yet publicly commented on PETA’s claims, according to nme.com.
This campaign follows previous PETA outreach to other prominent musical figures. The organisation previously urged Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant to temporarily change his name to Robert Plant Wool to raise awareness for plant alternatives to sheep’s wool, nme.com reported.
PETA also previously called on Nintendo to change the appearance of a character in Mario Kart World, arguing that the design of the cow character promoted cruelty, according to nme.com.
| Target Entity | PETA’s Requested Change | Underlying Cause |
|---|---|---|
| Cage The Elephant | Free The Elephant | Support retirement of circus elephant Okha |
| Robert Plant | Robert Plant Wool | Raise awareness for sheep’s wool alternatives |
| Nintendo | Change character design | Modify Mario Kart World cow character appearance |
Amid these developments, Cage The Elephant recently announced full details of their new album titled Dying In Reverse, nme.com reported. The record is due for release on February 5, 2027, via Big Loud Rock, according to nme.com.
The group is also due to hit the road for a UK and European tour in 2027, nme.com reported.
