I would also like to add that our article is not an endorsement of Elephant Stay, it is an article written by Joe Parsons who sincerely advocates for animals. I’m sure that the people invovled in Elephant Stay are sincere in their love for the elephants. It is by posting these articles, however, and receiving responses like yours that allow us to learn, share and act to improve animal welfare.

Another article we wrote on elephants was on the teaching practices of Dr Andrew McLean. Here is the link http://adoreanimals.com/home/training-with-trunks-teaching-elephants-new-tricks/
Dr McLean’s work has been demonstrated in three places, but according to elephant experts is very far from being adopted. The challenge, of course, is to overcome thousands of years of tradition.

Of course, we will invite Elephant Stay and others to also comment on this and to have an open discussion about these practices. Our first and foremost priority is the animals and their welfare.

adoreanimals has a stated objective of:
‘improving animal welfare, both in the home and in improving habitats in the wild’
and a values statement that includes
“being honest and ethical in all we undertake, and
being true to our stated philosophy, values and objectives”

While I do understand the many benefits this business model has bought to the local people – the ethics of elephantstay is questionable. Breeding elephants for entertainment and tourism is not ethical. The babies are taken away to a euphamistically named ‘baby school’ for training. In the wild babies stay within a dozen metres of their mother for years and even when sexually mature, females stay with their kin group. At elephantstay the calves (or children) are taken from their mothers and subjected to sharp bull hooks to ‘break’ them (Do you know for certain they do not practice the Phajaan? Or a modified version of it – ‘to split’ or ‘divide’ from the wild spirit to the human will.) I am seriously concerned that your compassionate ethos and educational focus have been compromised by this endorsement of elephantstay. The elephants are born, serve all their lives in subjection and will die knowing nothing but performance and servitude.

Pretty dressed up slavery is still slavery.

If you were an elephant would you be glad to be chained all night and then wear 240KG’s worth of howdah and tourists every day? Being glad to be unchained and get out would also be a feature of the morning routine if they were heading out to pasture, forest and nature to frolic, browse, graze or lay about – as elephants do. Being eager to get out of chains and get on trucks is not an endorsement of the work, it is the only choice besides boredom.

I am sorry to be so negative, but truly – elephantstay is not an ‘adoration’ of animals it is purely subjection. Animal husbandry in Thailand is culturally very different from here in Australia. Bullhooks are used and there is photographic evidence of this in this ‘open’ photo album in facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=220375&id=663755947

this photo amongst others

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=437087785947&set=a.437085890947.220375.663755947&theater

While elephant tourism exists without a strong ethical and legal underpinning, organisations such as Elephantstay perpetuate exploitation.

As an advocate for elephants – I respectfully request that you look more deeply at the complex needs of elephants and at this organisation and decide if it should be receiving your endorsement.

While tourists think riding, painting, dancing, elephants are the “must do-must see” the more elephants will continue to suffer. The more no-contact or respectful-contact refuge model is used the better the life for the elephants. The education of travellers to respect, not ride elephants would be more in keeping with your stated objectives.

Two pre-eminent Elephant Experts Dr Joyce Poole and Petter Granli through their website Elephant Voices are clear: “ElephantVoices standpoint is that the training of elephants for commercial gain should be prohibited.”

They are dedicated to informing people around the world in the real needs of elephants and have provided sound information and a plethora of resources about elephant back rides, circus (performance) and other forms of work here in the drop down menu titled Elephant Interests:
http://www.elephantvoices.org/elephant-interests.html

There is further information about elephant tourism here: http://www.elemotion.org

You have my email address – I would be happy to discuss this further should you wish.

Kind regards
jude Price
Adelaide
South Australia