Ban elephant ads so my sister didn’t die in vain
RELATIVES of a British woman killed on holiday by a tortured elephant are frustrated at the lack of government action 22 years on.
Student nurse Andrea Taylor, 20, from Billinge, Merseyside, was gored to death in Thailand in 2000 after the animal charged at tourists during an obedience display at a park.
But Save The Asian Elephants (STAE) has found at least 1,200 UK firms still promoting 277 overseas venues with the giants allegedly “broken in by torture” to do tricks, play games and give rides.
Andrea’s sister Helen Costigan, who with her dad Geoff was badly injured in the same tragic incident, has voiced her anger at a lack of a block on the ads in Britain.
She said: “A ban of advertising such tourist sites would greatly help to stop visitors from knowing about these places and stop humans profiting from animal abuse.
Lifeline
“The delay and lack of government interest in the ban is endangering the lives of UK tourists and allowing the abuse to continue.
“My sister died due to our lack of knowledge about the abuse and suffering the elephants in Thailand face. Andrea Taylor’s life should not be in vain.”
Cheshire-based Helen, 46, added: “Over the last 20 years people have started to educate themselves and recognise that not all tourist attractions with animals benefit the life of the animals concerned.
“However, year after year, people don’t either realise or are blind to the horrific abuse animals such as elephants face when being forced to interact with humans.”
Duncan McNair, chief executive of STAE, said these methods can involve isolation, deprivation of food, water and sleep, and beatings with rods or chains to break the animal’s spirit.
He said: “Unethical operators have for years broken promises of change. An end to advertising these places is long overdue.
“In May 2021, the Government pledged legislation ‘to ban the advertising and offering for sale here of specific, unacceptable practices abroad’.
“The ban would replace chaotic, failed self-regulation with compulsion of law, steering the market to ethical sanctuaries where elephants are observed behaving naturally from a respectful distance, throwing a lifeline to the species.”
The Animals Abroad Bill was intended to ensure that cruel animal practices overseas were not supported by the UK consumer market. But the Bill was dropped from this year’s Queen’s speech. Brexit opportunities minister Jacob Rees-Mogg and Commons leader Mark Spencer have been blamed. Mr McNair said: “Public backing for change is over 90 per cent. Support straddles the political divide. Why has Government stalled?” He added: “The travel lobby is unrelenting.
“The majestic Asian elephant in its pain and peril cannot wait forever. The ban is needed now.”
There are estimated to be fewer than 45,000 Asian elephants alive today, with 40 per cent of them kept in cruel captivity for exploitation
The Government said it remains committed to exploring options to prohibit the advertising.
A Defra spokesman said: “Animals that are part of tourist attractions are often subjected to cruel and brutal training practices. We urge UK tourists to opt to visit higher welfare attractions and experiences abroad.”