Guest guest Posted October 11, 2006 Report Share Posted October 11, 2006 Christine Townend <cjt 11 October 2006 2:28:58 PM emtrust Cc: Mark Shand <macshand, timmiekumar Fwd: Message from Dame Daphne Sheldrick On Indian Elephant Polo Match Dear Dame Daphne, Help in Suffering is disturbed by your statement which contains incorrect information which is now being widely circulated (see below). The people who have given you the incorrect information have had no communication with Help in Suffering in order to check the facts, and have placed defamatory statements on the internet about Mark Shand which are incorrect and for which they should be prosecuted. They are not a reliable source, therefore. 1) There will be no ankush used in this alternative elephant polo match, the purpose of which is to demonstrate to the 15-20 private companies which hold polo matches in Jaipur every season (and which cannot be prevented at present from holding these matches), that the use of the ankush is redundant and should be abandonned. Indeed, we have succeeded in having use of the ankush abolished in Jaipur, with support of Rajasthan Government, which has taken years of effort, among many other important welfare measures, including a ban on the elephants working in the summer months during the day, ban on sick or crippled elephants working, licencing of mahouts, and limiting the load to two people, insisting owners provide shade, etc.,etc. I would ask whether the group criticising HIS has managed any such similar achievements. 2) The match will not be played in 40'c heat. This would be appauling. Mid-November is the beginning of winter in Jaipur, and the temperature will be round about 23-28'c. 3) Each elephant will only play for 10 minutes I request that you would kindly send a retraction to the groups below who have received your letter of condemnation. With best wishes, Christine Townend, Chair of Trustees. " Help In Suffering " <hisjpr 11 October 2006 1:58:08 PM " Christine Elizabeth Townend " <cjt Fw: Message from Dame Daphne Sheldrick On Indian Elephant Polo Match - aapn ; suparnaganguly ; rob ; virginia ; royjones ; animalcrusader ; kisorpapri ; azamsiddiqui ; ruth.powys ; hisjpr ; kalimpong ; rnbglasgow ; juneharney ; mandy ; ashok Tuesday, October 10, 2006 7:24 PM Message from Dame Daphne Sheldrick On Indian Elephant Polo Match ---------- Forwarded message ---------- TRUST <emtrust Oct 10, 2006 7:13 PM Indian Elephant Polo Match journalistandanimals A year or two ago i was invited to India as perhaps the world's authority on elephants having hand reared from newborn over 75 orphaned elephant babies and successfully returned them when grown to the wild herds of Tsavo East National park in Kenya. My work with elephants spans 50 years and has been recognized by the Queen with, initially an MBE, and more recently a DBE, in addition to which I hold an Hon. degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery from Glasgow University and have been awarded the Moran of the of the Burning Spear by Kenya and am a 1992 UNEP Global 500 Laureate. I know elephants sufficiently well to be able to categorically say that forcing them to entertain the public in an Elephant Polo Tournament, in temperatures of over 40 degrees is not only insensitive but cruel, especially as they will be prodded by sharp ankuses etc, etc. I am shocked that a close relative of the Duchess of Cornwall is planning to partake and by doing so supports such antics. Elephants are intolerant to heat and would naturally be resting under shade when temperatures soar. I think the adverse publicity that will result from India embarking on this exercise will far out-weigh any benefits and simply reflect badly on India's Animal Welfare record and also the reputation of highly connected people. I would appeal to the authorities to withdraw from this polo spectacle and play polo instead on horseback, (without the use of ankuses and prods). Dame Daphne Sheldrick DBE, MBE, MBS, DVMS, 1992 Global 500 Laureate. Dr.Naveen Pandey (B.V.Sc & A.H.) Vet-in-Charge Darjeeling Goodwill Animal Shelter Kalimpong, Distt.Darjeeling West Bengal, INDIA PIN 734301 Phone +91-98320-27208 http://www.his-india.com/ Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 It is rght to put more and more conditions(hurdles:they say),which will reduce cruelty to Animals.However,Animal Welfare Board of India can also be contacted as No animals can be trained,exhibited and performed without registration with the AWBI for same. Performing Animals( Registration) Rules may also be enforced. The CZA,wildlife department,AH Deptt. may also be informed to check Ownerships,transit permits etc.etc. Dr.Sandeep K.Jain Former Member,AWBI " Dr.Naveen Pandey " <naveen_vet wrote: Christine Townend <cjt 11 October 2006 2:28:58 PM emtrust Cc: Mark Shand <macshand, timmiekumar Fwd: Message from Dame Daphne Sheldrick On Indian Elephant Polo Match Dear Dame Daphne, Help in Suffering is disturbed by your statement which contains incorrect information which is now being widely circulated (see below). The people who have given you the incorrect information have had no communication with Help in Suffering in order to check the facts, and have placed defamatory statements on the internet about Mark Shand which are incorrect and for which they should be prosecuted. They are not a reliable source, therefore. 1) There will be no ankush used in this alternative elephant polo match, the purpose of which is to demonstrate to the 15-20 private companies which hold polo matches in Jaipur every season (and which cannot be prevented at present from holding these matches), that the use of the ankush is redundant and should be abandonned. Indeed, we have succeeded in having use of the ankush abolished in Jaipur, with support of Rajasthan Government, which has taken years of effort, among many other important welfare measures, including a ban on the elephants working in the summer months during the day, ban on sick or crippled elephants working, licencing of mahouts, and limiting the load to two people, insisting owners provide shade, etc.,etc. I would ask whether the group criticising HIS has managed any such similar achievements. 2) The match will not be played in 40'c heat. This would be appauling. Mid-November is the beginning of winter in Jaipur, and the temperature will be round about 23-28'c. 3) Each elephant will only play for 10 minutes I request that you would kindly send a retraction to the groups below who have received your letter of condemnation. With best wishes, Christine Townend, Chair of Trustees. " Help In Suffering " <hisjpr 11 October 2006 1:58:08 PM " Christine Elizabeth Townend " <cjt Fw: Message from Dame Daphne Sheldrick On Indian Elephant Polo Match - aapn ; suparnaganguly ; rob ; virginia ; royjones ; animalcrusader ; kisorpapri ; azamsiddiqui ; ruth.powys ; hisjpr ; kalimpong ; rnbglasgow ; juneharney ; mandy ; ashok Tuesday, October 10, 2006 7:24 PM Message from Dame Daphne Sheldrick On Indian Elephant Polo Match ---------- Forwarded message ---------- TRUST <emtrust Oct 10, 2006 7:13 PM Indian Elephant Polo Match journalistandanimals A year or two ago i was invited to India as perhaps the world's authority on elephants having hand reared from newborn over 75 orphaned elephant babies and successfully returned them when grown to the wild herds of Tsavo East National park in Kenya. My work with elephants spans 50 years and has been recognized by the Queen with, initially an MBE, and more recently a DBE, in addition to which I hold an Hon. degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery from Glasgow University and have been awarded the Moran of the of the Burning Spear by Kenya and am a 1992 UNEP Global 500 Laureate. I know elephants sufficiently well to be able to categorically say that forcing them to entertain the public in an Elephant Polo Tournament, in temperatures of over 40 degrees is not only insensitive but cruel, especially as they will be prodded by sharp ankuses etc, etc. I am shocked that a close relative of the Duchess of Cornwall is planning to partake and by doing so supports such antics. Elephants are intolerant to heat and would naturally be resting under shade when temperatures soar. I think the adverse publicity that will result from India embarking on this exercise will far out-weigh any benefits and simply reflect badly on India's Animal Welfare record and also the reputation of highly connected people. I would appeal to the authorities to withdraw from this polo spectacle and play polo instead on horseback, (without the use of ankuses and prods). Dame Daphne Sheldrick DBE, MBE, MBS, DVMS, 1992 Global 500 Laureate. Dr.Naveen Pandey (B.V.Sc & A.H.) Vet-in-Charge Darjeeling Goodwill Animal Shelter Kalimpong, Distt.Darjeeling West Bengal, INDIA PIN 734301 Phone +91-98320-27208 http://www.his-india.com/ Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Dear John, Thanks a second time for this email which I found personally comforting. Is it possible for you to post it on AAPN as it would also help the reputation of this shelter. With best wishes, Chris On 15/10/2006, at 3:54 PM, Dr John Wedderburn wrote: Dear Christine, I just wish you to know that I have the greatest respect for what you have achieved and are achieving - I often quote your work. Without the tireless work over decades of people like yourself and organisations like HIS, I am sure India would not be in a position now to be considering a ban on Elephant Polo. Most of us animal people are practical and work in different guises at different times - sometimes hands-on work, sometimes pressing for incremental improvements, sometimes going for the jugular! Which to do at the different times is often a challenging decision. Sometimes we have to try to do them all at the same time. I hope I didn't offend you by speaking out. It is very easy to post to AAPN. Just sign in at: <http://pets.aapn/> Best wishes. John. - " Kim Bartlett " <anpeople <anpeople> To: <aapn <aapn >> Saturday, October 14, 2006 2:20 PM Christine Townend: THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING Envelope-to: anpeople <anpeople Kim Bartlett <anpeople <anpeople> Christine Townend <> THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING Sat, 14 Oct 2006 15:57:37 +1000 Dear Kim and Merritt, I am so grateful to you for knowing what it is like to see elephants chained on cement developing arthritis and needing exercise more than anything else. I love those elephants and I am happy to see them stretch their limbs and muscles as they would be able to do in the wild. We are not stopping anyone else trying to impose bans. There are 15,000 captive elephants in India which can never return to the wild so they must be provided with exercise and something to do. It is good for John Wedderburn to talk about 'principles' but in my heart I am more concerned about the beautiful creatures having the space and time to stretch their legs and enjoy themselves together. They kiss each other with their trunks. You can almost see them laughing as they go at a slow lope together across the field. Thanks again for understanding. You can post this on AAPN if you wish. I don't know how to do it. Much love Chris -- Kim Bartlett, Publisher of ANIMAL PEOPLE Newspaper Postal mailing address: P.O. Box 960, Clinton WA 98236 U.S.A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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