PETITION TARGET: Thai Ambassador to the U.S. Pisan Manawapat
Horrifying pictures have emerged of elephants brutally struck over and over again with sharp metal hooks on the island of Phuket in Thailand, blood dripping down their heads and their bodies covered in dozens of scars from old wounds. Mahouts, or elephant trainers, hit the poor elephants with razor-sharp tools to make them behave for human entertainment — the most popular form being riding elephants.
Add your voice to stop this senseless torture of elephants in Thailand.
There are currently 3,500 wild elephants and 4,500 domesticated elephants living in Thailand. World Animal Protection reports that of the 3,000 working elephants in Asia, 77% are treated inhumanely. This abuse ranges from being fed poor diets, kept near distressing loud places, and, when not working, being held in captive isolation with chains less than 10 feet long.
As reported by UNILAD, Dr. Patrapol Maneeorn, a wildlife veterinarian of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, claims that Thailand is working to improve, and eventually eradicate, elephant cruelty.
“What we are doing is collaborating with different organizations and sectors in Thailand to reduce and hopefully eliminate animal cruelty as much as possible.”
But we have a long way to go and no time left to wait. We must speak out to end elephant tourism now. Elephants are intelligent, social creatures who do not deserve to spend their lives being mercilessly beaten for entertainment.
Sign this petition to urge Ambassador Manawapat to end elephant tourism once and for all and spare these majestic creatures from a life of unrelenting pain.
