India Abroad News Service Report on Elephant Polo Match

[Guest guest]

This is the second media report that has come to my attention after the

match.

 

 

http://www.dailyindia.com/show/83347.php/Jaipur_elephant_polo_match_evokes_prote\

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Jaipur elephant polo match evokes protests

 

By Indo Asian News Service

 

Jaipur, Nov 18 (IANS) Animal protection groups protested against an elephant

polo match being played in Rajasthan Saturday.

 

The People for Ethical treatment of Animals (PETA), who led the protests,

demanded an immediate ban on 'the cruelty to elephants', including forcing

them to play polo matches.

 

The Elephant Family, a London-based body involved with the conservation of

elephants globally in association with NGO Help in Suffering, organised the

Cartier-sponsored polo match being played at the Rambagh polo ground inside

the Central Park here.

 

The protest was joined by other animal protection groups, including the

People for Animals, Haryana and Research for Animal Welfare. Activists in

white dress and elephant masks carried banners that read 'Cartier: time to

stop elephant cruelty'.

 

'Elephants are treated badly and no proper facilities are given to them,'

said N.G. Jayasimha, a PETA member. 'Elephants are kept chained for a long

period of time and forced to stand in the sun. Not enough water is given to

them.'

 

'Cartier should stick to selling watches and jewellery and leave elephants

alone. Elephants are not required on the polo field where they are forced to

obey confusing commands under the threat of punishment for promotion of

Cartier products,' a PETA activist said.

 

Bollywood stars Preity Zinta and Juhi Chawla also watched the event, which

was an attempt to draw global attention to Asian elephants that have

suffered heavily because of their slaughter for ivory.

 

Mark Shand, brother-in-law of Britain's Prince Charles and a member of the

Elephant Family, said the critics of the elephant polo match have done

little to help the animal.

 

'Elephant polo matches have been played in the city for more than two and a

half decades and there is no cruelty involved,' he added.

 

'Chaining an elephant is painful, but allow it to move in an open field

(and) it would enjoy its freedom like any other human being,' said Shand.

 

Copyright Indo-Asian News Service