Everyone loves to interact with the unusual when possible, and that includes mingling with the wild animals. How sweet to look at, touch, feel and get up close and personal with majestic beings like the gorgeous and seemingly harmless elephants. Who wouldn’t want to pay to get up on top of a pachyderm and enjoy a rare elephant ride? What most do not realize is what those poor animals endure behind “closed doors” and the potential danger inflicting on and possibly by them.
The Massachusetts Southwick Zoo currently offers elephants rides to their patrons, subjecting the animal’s o hours of “entertainment” in the scorching hot temperatures. The organization, Have Trunk Will Travel (HTWT) provides the animals for various entertainment purposes nationwide. The heat affecting the animals is not their own problem. Trainers from HTWT have previously been caught stabbing the elephants with bullhooks (which is a long rod with a pointy hook at the end). They have been jabbed on their legs, feet, mouth and other parts of their bodies that cause them extreme pain. How horrifying to hear an elephant, even the very young crying and screaming in pain!!
Patrons and tourists enjoy the company of the elephants on these rides without knowing exactly what the animals endure without their knowledge. There is no reason these precious animals need to be stabbed, tortured and be treated abusively. These rides not only are dangerous for the animals but we must remember that they are enormous and wild animals. There is no telling how one would react out of being startled, putting a person in danger as well. These rides are not in the best interest of the animals. They are meant to live their lives as elephants should, in their own herds in their natural habitats.
We are asking that these elephant rides cease and the elephants be able to live as they should without a threat of any harm to them or to the public. You can help us in our efforts by signing and sharing this petition. We are asking the Southwick Zoo Officials to please put a stop to these dangerous and cruel elephant rides.
Massachusetts' Southwick's Zoo, Owner Betsey R. Brewer – We strongly urge you to stop these dangerous and cruel elephant rides at your zoo. Such an activity subjects the animals to undue heat, torture and abusive treatment by the HTWT that provides them to you and it not only harms the animals but puts the public in danger from such a large being.
