Elephant rides and circus shows: New UK law clamps down on ‘cruel’ animal tourism abroad

The UK authorities has passed a caller instrumentality which aims to support animals utilized successful tourism.

The legislation, which applies successful England and Northern Ireland - volition let the authorities to bring guardant a prohibition connected selling oregon advertizing circumstantial types of wildlife tourism.

It is apt to see unethical activities overseas wherever animals are forced to instrumentality selfies with tourists, are taxable to brutal grooming methods and ridden, drugged oregon kept successful captivity.

The authorities says autarkic grounds has shown that animals are often taxable to “harsh treatment” arsenic portion of these experiences. This includes ‘breaking in’ Asian elephants utilizing “brutal” methods to marque them harmless astir tourists oregon play shot and beryllium ridden.

“We cognize that immoderate overseas tourer attractions often taxable majestic animals similar elephants to cruel and brutal grooming methods,” said UK Animal Welfare Minister Lord Benyon.

“The Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act is an important measurement successful our committedness to guarantee precocious carnal payment standards some present successful this state and abroad, and I promote holidaymakers to bash their probe truthful they tin marque informed choices that bash not promote mediocre carnal payment practices.”

A ‘massive measurement forward’ for carnal welfare

Up to 550,000 animals worldwide endure for the involvement of tourism, according to a 2015 survey from Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit.

Animal foundation Born Free welcomed the instrumentality arsenic a “massive measurement forward” saying that the British nationalist has consistently supported measures to amended payment and protect wildlife.

“It is present imperative that Ministers enactment rapidly to guarantee cardinal activities, specified arsenic elephant rides and cruel circus-type shows involving primates, bears, dolphins and others, go offences nether the caller law,” said Dr Mark Jones, the charity’s caput of policy.

Duncan McNair, CEO of Save the Asian Elephants, added that it was a “momentous time for animals everywhere”.

“The measures, resolutely implemented and enforced, volition assistance protect endangered and susceptible species crossed the satellite from utmost exploitation, harm and decease successful tourism.”

McNair said it could besides prevention galore quality lives, preventing maddened elephants and different animals “provoked by torture” from turning connected them.

When volition the caller instrumentality connected carnal tourism travel into effect?

The Act is owed to beryllium implemented successful December and volition initially use to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The authorities volition request to place which activities the merchantability and promotion of volition go an offence.

“This authorities is simply a satellite archetypal and volition enactment towards greater extortion of susceptible animals successful debased payment settings from being exploited arsenic tourer experiences,” Angela Richardson, the MP that

A database of guidelines for which activities are classed arsenic unacceptable has already been published by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA). The commercialized assemblage has antecedently said that nonstop interaction betwixt tourists and elephants is “unacceptable”.