Come help build a new student organization at UWM to advocate for and educate your peers on behalf of animals. From puppies to rabbits used in research; from rhinos to elephants held hostage in zoos; from deer to ducks hunted for sport; animals need our help.
So why do we keep animals in captivity anyway? We like them and want to be around them. So, we capture them from their homes and lock them in cages for our amusement and to satisfy our curiosity. We restrict what they can do and with whom they can socialize. We often separate them from their families and friends. We limit their movements, behaviors and ability to fully realize their higher-order needs.
Imagine being an African elephant with miles of wooded savanna to roam, in Sub-Saharan Africa, in 75-degree weather. Now, picture yourself standing in a confined area, at times behind metal bars, in a freezing Wisconsin winter at the Milwaukee Zoo. That is the reality for Belle, who is also the only elephant there. The average size for a home range is 20 square miles, although it’s not unusual for a family range to reach 140 or more. Naturally, elephants are highly active, traveling up to 50 miles a day, and live in multigenerational, matriarchal herds. These magnificent creatures play a crucial role in shaping their ecosystems, known as a keystone species. Their feeding and browsing activities contribute to maintaining biodiversity and shape vegetation patterns.
The Milwaukee County Zoo, as a department of the county, answers to the Milwaukee County Executive and the Milwaukee Board of Supervisors. The Executive Zoo Director is chosen by the Milwaukee County Executive. The Board of Supervisors decides budgets and policies for county facilities. These facts make the upcoming state and local elections even more crucial to vote in as they determine Belle’s release or continued captivity.
As a group, we would track current legislation affecting animals and take action. For example, the Wisconsin Animal Protection Society (WISAPS) recently posted on their website information about a bill recently introduced on Sept. 21, 2026, called the COMPACT Act, which says that “no funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can be used to support the purchase, breeding, housing, transportation or experimental use of dogs or cats, in covered biomedical research, including costs that materially facilitate those experiments.”
AWA notes further that the bill also includes provisions to facilitate adoption of dogs and cats used in existing studies. See https://animalwellnessaction.org/ for more info. The Act was introduced 9/21/2026 and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. One of the cosponsors of the bill is Representative Mark Pocan of Wisconsin.”
Other pending litigation includes bills concerning the Endangered Species Act, other animals used in research and testing, and the provision of funding for plant-based meals in schools.
In addition to tracking and spreading awareness of the legal status of animals, an animal activist organization would advocate for more plant-based options on campus and in the residence halls. We would like to hold semi-regular tabling events in the Union and Spaights Plaza, handing out flyers and sharing information through flyers and conversation. As the group grows, we’d like to hold events sponsored by UWM, including At the Table Dialogues, which foster connection and dialogue over a meal with students and faculty.
If you are interested in joining or have any questions about forming a student organization, please reach out to Cato Crisci (cjcrisci@uwm.edu).