Stop Street Begging for Elephants

Street begging for elephants is illegal in Thailand. This legal status has only pushed the trade underground, with mahouts and their elephants living along rubbish dumps or under expressways. Places where there is little water, and where the hungry elephants forage the dumps for food, if their tightly bound chains are long enough to extend to the dumps, that is.

Every night, the elephants are dragged long distances, often to night spots. These majestic beasts are reduced to being beggars. Often the alcohol induced clubbers make fun of the animals. One man was shoving a wooden stick into the elephant, and other blowing smoke into the elephant's trunk, and others force beer down the trunks. One even tried to burn the hair off the elephant's tails.

The city is a foreign place for the elephants. The bright lights hurt their eyes, the sensitive feet and ears get a sensory overload from the racket of the city. Constantly curious people touch and poke at the animals. Many of these are young elephants, snatched from their mothers, forced into training and a very strange world where they will suffer physical and mental re-precussions for the rest of their lives. Accidents involving the frightened animals are not uncommon.

Often these animals are rented out to the mahouts by rich elephant owners. The cycle of poverty extends its toll on the elephants.

Encourage the enforcement of the law. Let the authorities know that this practice is not tolerated. Tourism involving elephants can take into consideration of the animal's welfare and still be profitable.

Sign this petition:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/street-begging-elephants