John,

Tiny elephant calves are torn from their mothers, wailing, then bound with chains and ropes, jabbed with metal hooks, and confined to tiny enclosures for days at a time.

The reason for this unimaginable cruelty? To make them submissive enough to be safe for tourists.

Then, these intelligent, caring animals are forced into a lifetime in captivity giving rides to tourists. Experts all agree it's inhumane and should be banned…but a shocking 1,200 travel companies in the UK are STILL advertising cruel elephant rides and performances.

More than 38,000 of us have already taken action, demanding travel companies stop fueling this torture, but we’re not going to stop there. Our team has a plan to turn up the heat with winning tactics like taking out our own counter ads exposing the cruel truth behind elephant rides, staging protests and stunts outside the travel companies' offices, and launching people-powered campaigns to hold toxic companies accountable. We’re ready to go, but just need the funds to make it possible.

John, will you chip in to stop the baby elephant torture?

I'll donate $3I'll donate $4 I'll donate $5I'll donate $9I'll donate another amount

After being taken as babies and beaten into submission to endure a lifetime of captivity, elephants can’t be released back into the wild. But they can go to sanctuaries to recover from their trauma where tourists can observe them from afar, generating tourist income and providing local communities with jobs.

More than 50 travel companies, including major brands like TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet, have stopped advertising elephant rides. But big travel companies like Travel Holdings, SITA World Tours, and more than 1,200 other companies in the UK are more concerned with their profits.

As a result, tourists are being tricked into thinking that paying for elephant rides is supporting the animals and their conservation. But all it’s doing is increasing demand for the exploitation of baby elephants.

We’re going to change that by launching a massive public pressure campaign to put the companies profiting off this cruelty on notice that if they don't change course, their bottom lines will suffer. Our tried-and-tested tactics exposing this cruel trade will call them out by name – and we’re not going to stop until we win.

As it gets colder in the northern hemisphere, travel companies ramp up their advertising for elephant riding in warmer countries like Thailand. So it’s urgent we turn up the pressure to expose the travel companies for profiting off of animal cruelty – and  launch people-powered campaigns to fight toxic corporate power everywhere. Are you in? 

I'll donate $3I'll donate $4 I'll donate $5I'll donate $9I'll donate another amount

 

Your donation will power Ekō and our campaigns worldwide fighting for people and the planet.