Animal Nepal supports PETA's protest against Elephant Polo Cup in Nepal

[Guest guest]

*Maybe it would be a good idea for all the groups who protested the Jaipur

event to send out letters to all the companies that sponsor elephant polo

across the world. A partial list is on Azam's website. Letters could also be

sent to the World Elephant Polo Association expressing disapproval of their

activities in promoting animal circuses. But we should not be under any

illusion that we are in for a long haul here. Companies like Cartier,

Sandalford, Mercedes Benz, Starbucks Coffee and Chivas Regal do not exist

for showing kindness to animals. Their one and only aim is profit, anything

else is a byproduct. Pressure has to be sustained and at the highest level.*

 

On 11/21/06, lucia <lucia wrote:

>

> Animal Nepal supports PEtA's campaign to ban elephant polo in Nepal. In

> order to make the elephants respond quickly mahouts during training use

> a steel hook, a cruel device that causes open wounds. Thailand in 2002

> banned elephant polo as well as the use of 'use painful techniques or

> devices that may cause physical injury, pain, or suffering to an

> elephant'. A wildlife trainer during a visit to Chitwan National Park

> Animal Nepal recently proved that elephants can be trained by using

> humane techniques, such as rewarding good behaviour. Animal Nepal calls

> upon the Nepalese government to stop the use of elephants for

> entertainment and include such legislation in the upcoming Animal

> Welfare Act.

>

> -------

>

> Link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2090-2460601,00.html

>

> The Sunday Times - Scotland

>

> The Sunday Times November 19, 2006

>

> Elephant polo in cruelty row

>

> Dean Nelson in Delhi

>

> ELEPHANT polo is one of the few sports in which Scotland rules the

> world, but the shine has been taken off its success with allegations

> of cruelty.

>

> The world championships are being targeted by animal rights

> campaigners who want to ban the sport. Campaigners, led by People for

> the Ethical Treatment of Animals, are to protest against the Elephant

> Polo World Cup in Nepal, where the Scotland team will defend their

> world title.

>

> They say the sport mistreats an endangered animal to amuse Hooray

> Henries and to promote luxury brands. The World Cup is sponsored by

> Chivas Regal whisky. A smaller tournament in Jaipur, organised by Mark

> Shand, brother of Camilla Parker Bowles, is sponsored by Cartier.

>

> The sport is believed to have originated among Rajasthan's maharajas

> and was developed into a modern game by James Manclark, the Scots

> landowner and former bobsleigh champion, and his friend Jim Edwards,

> owner of the Tiger Tops safari estate in Nepal.

>

> The game is loosely based on equestrian polo, with four elephants per

> team, each with a " mahout " who rides the elephant and a player secured

> by a harness with the polo stick. Instead of eight chukkas, elephant

> polo has two of 10 minutes each to spare the animals.

>

> The controversy surrounds the use of a bullhook to direct the

> elephants. It is a sharp steel hook used to prod the elephant into

> obeying its mahout's instruction - like spurs or a crop for a horse.

>

> According to the campaigners, the hooks cause open wounds which become

> infected and cause the elephant great pain and discomfort.

>

> While both competitions say they will not use bullhooks during the

> games, most elephants are trained by mahouts who do use them.

>

> Jim Long, a spokesman for Chivas and one of its world cup team

> players, said that the company was not aware of any abuse of elephants.

>

>

>