Don't Get 'Taken for a Ride'
- van: PETA U.S.
- ontvanger: Elspeth Velten, Travel + Leisure & TripSavvy at Dotdash Meredith, SVP/Group GM
Despite overwhelming evidence of the suffering that elephants endure when they're used for rides, TripSavvy still fails to inform travelers about the cruelty inherent in elephant rides—including those at India's Amber Fort, where abuse is well documented.
Elephants used for rides at Amber Fort—many of whom have been found to be injured, ill, and elderly—are forced to trudge up a steep path with excessively heavy loads. A recent report by the Animal Welfare Board of India found widespread suffering: All the elephants had serious foot problems, many were also blind, and some displayed stereotypical behavior patterns indicative of mental distress. Nearly half of them had tusks that appeared to have been cut, raising the concern that their ivory was sold through illegal markets.
Elephants deserve to be treated with respect, not shackled and ridden to death. Urge TripSavvy and other companies to put an end to this violence. Each time that you click "Send Message," a letter will be sent to a company that exploits elephants for profit.
Urge TripSavvy to live up to its name by providing accurate information about the problems and suffering behind exploiting animals, including elephants, for tourism.
To whom it may concern:
I'm disappointed that despite overwhelming evidence of the suffering that elephants endure when they're used for rides, TripSavvy still fails to inform travelers about the cruelty inherent in elephant rides—including those at India's Amber Fort, where abuse is well documented.
Elephants used for rides at Amber Fort—many of whom have been found to be injured, ill, and elderly—are forced to trudge up a steep path with excessively heavy loads. A recent report by the Animal Welfare Board of India found widespread suffering: All the elephants had serious foot problems, many were also blind, and some displayed stereotypical behavior patterns indicative of mental distress. Nearly half of them had tusks that appeared to have been cut, raising the concern that their ivory was sold through illegal markets.
Dozens of travel and guidebook companies—including Globus and Cosmos, Rough Guides, and TripAdvisor—provide truthful and complete information about the cruelty inherent in elephant rides, a move that's in line with growing public opposition to the use of animals for entertainment. Please take action against elephant abuse by updating all TripSavvy's content related to elephant captivity with accurate information about the suffering that these animals endure when they're used as tourist attractions.
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