Baby elephants are tortured into submission by crushing their spirits

Stop Elephant Abuse at
Surin Round-Up Festival!

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Dear friends, In Thailand, phajaan means the crushing of the spirit. And it's what happens to young elephants every year in Surin Province as trainers prepare them to perform at the annual Surin Elephant Round-Up Festival. To tame them into submission, the animals are torn away from their mothers, repeatedly stabbed with sharp bullhooks, and tied up with ropes so they can't move. These physical and emotional scars will last for the rest of their lives. Urge the Prime Minister of Thailand to ban elephant abuse at the annual Surin Elephant Round-up Festival! The Tourism Authority of Thailand puts on the Surin Elephant Festival every year, and it attracts tourists from all over the world. It has ancient roots in royal elephant hunts held in the 1300s, but the festival now includes soccer contests and games of tug-of-war. Throughout all the years, though, one thing has remained constant: the capture and torture of elephants. During the festivities, trainers use pain and fear to force elephants to perform unnatural, crowd-pleasing tricks. Elephants serve as taxis, and tourists ride the animals while their foreheads are still covered in blood from stabbings and beatings. Many animals are starved and dehydrated, until the great "elephant buffet." During the buffet, the elephants are so hungry they often overeat to the point of vomiting. There are other ways to honor the deep cultural history between the people of Surin and elephants, without involving torture. The government must act now to ensure that abusive training techniques, exploitation and carnival tricks have no place in these festivals. If you agree, sign the petition asking Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to protect elephants in Surin. The festival depends on support from tourists, so your voice matters! Thank you for all that you do,   Miranda B. The Care2 Petitions Team