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This Travel Company Is Far From Savvy When It Comes to Cruel Elephant Rides

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TripSavvy, a popular travel-planning website, gives travelers misleading and incomplete information about elephant attractions, including rides at India's Amber Fort, where elephants—many of them injured, ill, and elderly—are forced to haul tourists up a long, winding, uphill path all day long in excessive heat. While TripSavvy does mention that some tourists are choosing not to ride elephants there, it then goes on to list the ride times and price and recommends arriving "as early as possible to get one, as demand is high." It also provides information about illegitimate "sanctuaries " that allow elephant rides, which no reputable sanctuary in the world does.

A recent report found that every single elephant at Amber Fort suffers from various foot problems—which are painful and a leading cause of euthanasia for captive elephants. The report also found that many of the elephants are blind, which endangers both them and the public, and dozens displayed stereotypical behavior patterns, such as repetitive swaying and head-bobbing, indicating mental distress. And all elephants who are used for rides first endure abusive training to "break" their spirits, followed by routine beatings and psychological torment.

Public opposition to the use of animals for entertainment is stronger than ever, and dozens of travel businesses have taken action to help animals. Travel-guide company Lonely Planet, for example, explains that "elephants are traditionally subject to systematic abuse in order to 'train' them to accept riders and perform in shows." And Intrepid Travel cofounder Geoff Manchester authored the article "This Is Why We No Longer Ride Elephants."

By failing to inform tourists of the truth behind elephant rides, TripSavvy is helping to drive demand for an egregiously cruel industry that uses violence and domination to force elephants into subservience. Urge the company to live up to its name by providing accurate information about the problems and suffering behind exploiting animals, including elephants, for tourism.

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Elspeth

Velten

Travel + Leisure & TripSavvy at Dotdash Meredith

Message to {contact_data~firstName} {contact_data~lastName}:

I'm disappointed that despite overwhelming evidence of the suffering that elephants endure when they're used for rides, TripSavvy still fails to inform travelers about the cruelty inherent in elephant rides—including those at India's Amber Fort, where abuse is well documented.

Elephants used for rides at Amber Fort—many of whom have been found to be injured, ill, and elderly—are forced to trudge up a steep path with excessively heavy loads. A recent report by the Animal Welfare Board of India found widespread suffering: All the elephants had serious foot problems, many were also blind, and some displayed stereotypical behavior patterns indicative of mental distress. Nearly half of them had tusks that appeared to have been cut, raising the concern that their ivory was sold through illegal markets.

Dozens of travel and guidebook companies—including Globus and Cosmos, Rough Guides, and TripAdvisor—provide truthful and complete information about the cruelty inherent in elephant rides, a move that's in line with growing public opposition to the use of animals for entertainment. Please take action against elephant abuse by updating all TripSavvy's content related to elephant captivity with accurate information about the suffering that these animals endure when they're used as tourist attractions.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
{user_data~EMail Address}

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