Breaking: Elephants Violently Beaten for ‘Charity’ Polo Match
Breaking eyewitness footage released by PETA Asia shows handlers repeatedly beating elephants for the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand.
The event, which touts itself as a charity event for elephants, is taking place this weekend next to the Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort in Thailand, owned by the Minor Hotel Group.
The video footage reveals handlers repeatedly beating and jabbing the captive elephants’ heads with bullhooks – weapons that resemble a fireplace poker with a long, sharp metal hook on one end – violently pulling the animals by their sensitive ears, and leaving them without access to shade in sweltering temperatures of up to 33°C. One handler can be seen hitting an elephant on the head approximately 15 times, apparently drawing blood.
In response to the shocking footage, PETA is calling on the event’s European sponsors – including Peroni, Ferrari, Johnnie Walker, and San Pellegrino – to stop funding the cruel tournament.
“Beating elephants into ‘playing’ polo for public amusement while claiming to fund elephant conservation is a cruel scam, and the sponsors must pull out now,” says PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is calling on companies sponsoring the tournament to stop putting their names on this abusive spectacle and never support events that exploit animals in the future.”
Elephants used for polo tournaments, rides, or any other type of entertainment endure violent training to break their spirits, during which they’re regularly beaten. Between matches, they’re often shackled so tightly that they can barely take a single step. Because of this cruelty, numerous tournaments have been cancelled or lost sponsors – and Guinness World Records has struck all mention of elephant polo records from its pages.
What Can You Do?
Please urge the companies sponsoring the event to stop supporting the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament
