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Pata Zoo, located at the top of the Pata Pinklao Department Store in Bangkok, Thailand, is one of the saddest places in the world. PETA Asia’s investigation into the facility showed that the animals imprisoned there are confined to dark, barren cages. They are offered little to no enrichment and are left with nothing but trash to play with. Many animals show signs of severe distress, including rocking, swaying, pacing back and forth, and even harming themselves.
These animals—such as Kat, an orangutan deprived of mental stimulation and physical exercise, and Bua Noi, a gorilla who’s been alone and behind bars since 1983—have been relegated to concrete enclosures. In nature, female orangutans have complex social networks and gorillas enjoy lives that revolve around their families. Putting these animals on display and depriving them of nearly everything they need to thrive is a form of speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and it must end.
PETA Asia has repeatedly offered to help transfer all the animals at Pata Zoo to a reputable sanctuary where they would have trees to climb, grass to roll in, and other animals to socialize with. Several years ago, activists held a colorful protest outside the department store, resulting in a meeting with the facility’s owner to discuss the conditions there and the possibility of retiring the animals to a sanctuary. Although he made assurances of open communication and further discussion, he hasn’t yet found the compassion in his heart to allow the animals to live in dignity at reputable sanctuaries. In a recent statement, he rejected reports of plans to relocate Bua Noi.
This shopping mall zoo has garnered international attention for years, and almost all the stores at Pata Pinklao Department Store have abandoned their leases, citing animal welfare concerns. PETA Asia has written to AIS Telewiz and Owl Cha, which are still tenants, asking them to reconsider their leases, the proceeds of which help fund animal suffering.
Please send a polite e-mail to Owl Cha at [email protected] to urge it to cut ties with the Pata Pinklao Department Store. Then, use the form below to urge AIS Telewiz to do the same.