Protect elephants from cruel tourist entertainment on World Animal Day
News
Thomas Cook Group, one of the leading travel companies around the world, is continuing to promote and sell cruel elephant rides. Sign our petition to put an end to this today.
Today on World Animal Day we are taking action. Over 70,000 people around the world have already joined our movement to protect wildlife from cruel tourist entertainment. It's time to stop elephants suffering.
Thomas Cook Group are still offering cruel elephant rides and shows to their customers. Join our movement and demand that they protect elephants and stop offering these activities.
Thomas Cook Group
The Thomas Cook Group claim on their website that they “care deeply about animal welfare”. However, they still sell tours to a number of venues that promote animal abuse in Thailand, India and Zimbabwe.
Since the company was founded in 1841 it has grown to become one of the leading travel comapnies in the world with over 22 million customers a year and sales exceeding USD $13.2 billion. These facts demonstrate their influence and the importance of stopping them promote elephant rides and shows.
Our voice for elephants needs to be louder
We have approached Thomas Cook Group multiple times over the past two months asking them to sign our Elephant-friendly tourism pledge, but despite our attempts to work with them they haven't taken action.
Kate Nustedt, our Director of Wildlife, has said: “We are shocked that a household name like Thomas Cook appears unwilling to end the promotion of cruel elephant rides.”
63 companies around the world have already committed to never again offering or selling elephant rides or shows, including TUI Nederland, Intrepid Travel, Apollo, Albatros Travel and World Expeditions.
It’s great news that these companies have already signed the pledge. However, as one of the world’s largest and most influential travel agencies is still supporting elephant abuse, we still have work to do.
Approximately 3,000 elephants are still suffering in captivity at cruel tourist attractions.
The confined elephants are subject to cruel training, isolated, starved and beaten. The great trauma they endure stays with them throughout their lives and can leave them suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as physical pain.
Today is World Animal Day
Today is a great day to remind ourselves that all animals deserve our protection – not just on World Animal Day, but on every day of the year.
Spreading awareness makes a difference. But we also need to target those who are closer to the cause. Thomas Cook Group supports the cruel practices of elephant riding and shows on an influential and global scale - our outrage needs to be communicated directly in order for them to make the change.
Take action for elephants today
Join our movement to help end wildlife cruelty in the tourism industry.
“We are shocked that a household name like Thomas Cook appears unwilling to end the promotion of cruel elephant rides.