WRITE TO YOUR MP

Dear (MP NAME)

Demand Government honours its promise to introduce a ban on advertising of brutal elephant venues

I write as your constituent to express my deep shock at reports that our government is considering betraying its promises to the country to ban the advertising and sale of access to “attractions” abroad where elephants and other species are routinely brutalised and tortured for easy use in tourism.

1. Highly endangered baby and adult Asian elephants are beaten, stabbed and brutalised systematically across SE Asia to “break the spirits” for easy use in tourism, promoted by over 1,250 UK based travel companies. Numbers have collapsed and the species is nearing extinction.
2. Populus polling shows ever-growing public opposition to such tourism practices: 88% (2015), 89% (2018), 90% (2020). 97.9% want serious penalties for repeat offenders (2021). An online petition to allow sales of visits only to genuine sanctuaries exceeds 1,100,000, another 33 million signatories on similar, aligned petitions.
3. In last year’s Queen’s Speech and Animal Welfare Action Plan, Govt promised law to ban UK adverts for venues abroad where this abuse happens to elephants and other iconic endangered species like lions, tigers, gorillas, chimps and bears.
4. Moreover, abused captive elephants are deadly to humans. When provoked they attack and kill. Broken down and held in fetid close confinement they transmit deadly airborne pathogens to humans such as TB, SARS and likely Covid 19 too. Human trafficking props up the unethical trade in elephant tourism.

Numerous promises of change by the industry have proved empty and they have taken no steps during lockdown to improve safety or welfare.

New law is urgently needed. This will steer the market to ethical tourism for elephants and other endangered species. As stated in the government’s Action Plan: “The way we treat animals reflects our values and the kind of people we are.”

A great opportunity to act is by signing the proposed letter to the PM recently sent to you by STAE; and also to support the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill which is due for its Second Reading in the Commons on 3 February 2023.

Please confirm you have taken these steps and have also demanded the Prime Minister honours government’s promise to introduce a ban on advertising in the UK of brutal elephant venues abroad. Thank you.

Yours sincerely
[YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS]