DEMAND A TOTAL BAN OF BULLHOOKS AND ELECTRIC PRODS USED ON ELEPHANTS

DEMAND A TOTAL BAN OF BULLHOOKS AND ELECTRIC PRODS USED ON ELEPHANTS

Enough is enough! Elephants have been abused, tortured and humiliated for far too long! These gentle beings are "prostituted" for money by greedy owners who have no care for the pain and suffering that they are forced to endure over their lifetime.

A "BULLHOOK" (also known as an Elephant "goad", "Ankus" or "Ankusha") is an implement of torture. It consists of a large metal hook (usually bronze or steel), which is attached to a 60-90cm (2-3foot) handle that ends in a tapered end. Somewhat resembling a fireplace poker, designed specifically to inflict pain and instill fear.
The Bullhook first came from India in 6th-5th century BC and since then has been used in human-elephant interaction, for "training", "guiding", "controlling". It even has religious significance to many different types of religions, some even "glorify" the "beauty" of a Bullhook by encrusting it with jewels and decoration.

The Bullhook is used to inflict pain, which is believed to be vital to "training" and "breaking" the elephants, especially when they are still babies. It is wielded ruthlessly being used as the main tool for training. They are used to repeatedly beat, hit, prod and poke the elephants producing puncture wounds and lacerations, to make sure that they perform as required and behave in certain ways (such as performing unnatural and humiliating tricks or actions for human entertainment).

It is impossible to make an elephant perform extreme un-natural tricks without inflicting pain. The Bullhook can also be used to jab with the blunt end that can lead to internal bleeding, severe bruising and abrasions.

The tool is used on areas that are all very sensitive to the touch. They are traditionally inserted in their most sensitive areas such as around their anus, behind their ears, around their eyes and on their trunk.

Many of the mahouts (handlers) use the Bullhook at their whim! They are used unnecessarily as a "means of power".

ELECTRIC PRODS (Tasers) are also used to teach animals to perform tricks. After they learn that failure to perform will result in a shock, animals will do tricks on command – often prompted by the intimidation of the prod.

HEAVY METAL CHAINS are also used to confine circus elephants and keep them under control. One front leg and the alternate back leg almost always chain captive elephants. If you look at the ankles of a circus elephant carefully you can often see lines from where the chains have tightly encased the animal's leg.
Chaining in this manner limits the elephants' ability to engage in natural behaviour, interact with other elephants, and lie down. More often than not the elephants are chained on hard surfaces like cement instead of the soil their feet and joints are designed for. As a result, elephants suffer painful foot problems, arthritis, and other painful physical ailments.

These captive elephants soon learn to do their set tasks knowing that if they do perform they won't be injured. Just brandishing the Bullhook provides a constant reminder to the elephants of the painful punishment that will be inflicted. These acts happen day after day, year after year.

You can help by boycotting ALL animal entertainment venues such as circuses, fairs and shows.

This ban is possible!

September 3rd, 2016

** Photo credit PIXABAY

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