Elephant Abuse at Have Trunk Will Travel

Knowing that the zoo I visit has an elephant on loan from them from breeding, and that the son produced by their elephant may belong to them doesn't sit too well with me.
I was wondering if the Movie Water for Elephants treated their elephants properly.
Swinging, bashing, prodding, jabbing and tugging harshly I'd consider abuse of the elephant guide. No wonder zoos get a bad rap for using them thanks to videos like these.
 
Have trunk will travel does not own Samudra.... I hope the two breeding females fro HTWT (Rosie and Becky) are suggested to other facilities from the SSP (or better yet, all the elephants!) . That video was truly heart wrenching :(
 
Huh, I was under the impression that he was. I never know if the information I get is 100% true or not. Hopefully Tusko won't be returned to them.
That video was pretty bad.
 
Males, even when used in natural breedings, are looked at more as sperm donors, which ever zoo that owns the mother owns the calf, ALSO I believe Tusko is at the zoo longterm, to bring in some more diversity since Rama and Packy are related to Rose-tu and Sung-surin.

Hopefully, the AZA sees this footage and reconsiders HTWT's accreditation
 
That was horrible, I was waiting for one of the elephants to strike out.
 
Well, I read the comments on this thread before watching the video. Then I clicked on the link and read the accompanying article before hitting play on the video. Based on the article description I was really preparing myself for something awful. But then I watched the video and it was not as bad as everyone is making out.

Please understand that I do NOT defend hitting elephants or making them do handstands. I see no purpose in forcing animals to do unnatural behaviors like that. I just think the comments were a bit overblown. This place probably should be shut down, but that was not the worst abuse I have ever seen, as others seemed to indicate. Also, where is the alleged electric shock? I watched the entire nine minutes and somehow I missed it.
 
Arizona Docent said:
Well, I read the comments on this thread before watching the video. Then I clicked on the link and read the accompanying article before hitting play on the video. Based on the article description I was really preparing myself for something awful. But then I watched the video and it was not as bad as everyone is making out.

Please understand that I do NOT defend hitting elephants or making them do handstands. I see no purpose in forcing animals to do unnatural behaviors like that. I just think the comments were a bit overblown. This place probably should be shut down, but that was not the worst abuse I have ever seen, as others seemed to indicate. Also, where is the alleged electric shock? I watched the entire nine minutes and somehow I missed it.
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I also missed the electric shock. It wasn't the WORST I have ever seen. But it is sad, because allegedly water for elephants was filmed in a manor where animals weren't harmed. But when the elephant returned to HTWT she faced abuse anyways. Isn't there a way to train elephants with out hitting them?

(I completely understand using the blunt hook as a guide on the trunk though!)
 
Do you really think the comments from Peter D. are interesting? The video was probably not released earlier because the person who took it only just gave it to ADI. I guess it was taken from someone who had some sort of relationship with the owners - friend, employee, internship ect. I can`t see how it makes a difference how the video was cut or editted. What you see in the scenes is highly disturbing and plain abusive and contradicts all the claims that the elephants are trained with treats and love and that the ankus is just the extension of the arm and not meant as a weapon. I do not care hwat happenend in the moments before and after the beating. I does not make any difference.

By the way, you could take similar footage from a number of the AZA nd EAZA zoos.
 
Yassa said:
Do you really think the comments from Peter D. are interesting? The video was probably not released earlier because the person who took it only just gave it to ADI. I guess it was taken from someone who had some sort of relationship with the owners - friend, employee, internship ect. I can`t see how it makes a difference how the video was cut or editted. What you see in the scenes is highly disturbing and plain abusive and contradicts all the claims that the elephants are trained with treats and love and that the ankus is just the extension of the arm and not meant as a weapon. I do not care hwat happenend in the moments before and after the beating. I does not make any difference.

By the way, you could take similar footage from a number of the AZA nd EAZA zoos.
Click to expand...
The owners of the elephant obviously knew the video was being filmed as the lady trainer is heard saying "don't film me using the hook". It is not the worst film I have seen featuring elephant abuse however it is still not right. These films of elephants being physically abused are too common place, I was upset at the sight of these elephants being treat in this fashion but not surprised, it's about time something was done about this abuse once and for all.
 
It makes me sad to here people have seen worst abuse than this video. This made me cringe a lot, especially hearing the sounds of pain from the elephants. I can somewhat deal with the ankus tapping a spot on their body, but to actually use it to hit them hard is uncalled for. I wanted to take the ankus and start whacking the trainers to see how it made them feel. I'm sure it's difficult to train wild animals, but these people sounded so impatient and I felt they had a lack of knowledge and respect of the animals. I hate seeing a trainer get real aggressive with an elephant with their voice, movement, or using the ankus to prove they are the matriarch to a creature a lot bigger than them.
 
Fortunately it is being investigated by the powers that be. Director of SA Zoo informed me they are investigating so hopefully they will end their association with them. Also, please note HTWT in their response made no attempt to deny electrical device, etc. They only state "We are unwavering in our commitment to elephants. We stand by our care and training methods."

accreditation standards 2011 edition

5. Behavior management
5.1. Training
5.1.1. Electrical devices designed for use on livestock, such as commercially manufactured electric prods and shocking collars/belts, are prohibited as routine training tools or for handling animals during exhibition. Electric prods are permissible only as an emergency safety device; however, their use is restricted to situations in which keepers feel the imminent need to defend themselves against elephant attacks, or to protect an elephant from possible injury (see Schanberger et al. 2001).

The AZA considers the following training tools/techniques to be inappropriate for use at member institutions:

a. Insertion of any implement into any bodily orifice, unless directed by a veterinarian specifically in connection with training for a medical or reproductive procedure.
b. Striking an elephant with anything more substantial than an ankus (a traditional training tool used by elephant trainers)
c. Striking an elephant with any sharp object, including the hook of an ankus (Fowler 1995).
d. Striking an elephant on or around any sensitive area, such as the eyes, mouth, ears, or genital region.
e. No tools used in training should be applied repeatedly and with such force that they cause
any physical harm to an animal (i.e., breaking of the skin, bleeding, bruising, etc.).
f. Withholding or reducing an animal’s daily-recommended amount of food and or water.
g. Withholding veterinary care for any reason.

If properly executed training procedures are ineffective in eliminating aggressive or inappropriate behavior in a given animal, institutions should consider other alternatives, including transfer to a facility with more experienced staff or a different management system. Protracted and repeated use of corporal discipline in training is of serious ethical concern and AZA considers abusive training practices to be unacceptable. Further, elephants that are untrained, unexercised, or unable to complete minimum behavioral requirements may be considered neglected and thereby abused.
 
How old is this video? From what some of the individuals are wearing, it would not surprise me if this video is several years old, maybe even 10-20. However, I am not familiar with either the people or the elephants in the videos, so perhaps someone who might recognize them (or the facility) could give a more accurate date?

Obviously, whenever it was shot doesn't excuse anything, but it is possible that we are viewing old practices that have since been abandoned. Just throwing it out there, I actually tend to doubt this myself.
 
perceptron said:
How old is this video? From what some of the individuals are wearing, it would not surprise me if this video is several years old, maybe even 10-20. However, I am not familiar with either the people or the elephants in the videos, so perhaps someone who might recognize them (or the facility) could give a more accurate date?

Obviously, whenever it was shot doesn't excuse anything, but it is possible that we are viewing old practices that have since been abandoned. Just throwing it out there, I actually tend to doubt this myself.
Click to expand...

It couldn't be that old, because the calf in the video is JP and he died of EEHV1 last year at the age of four. So four years old at the most....
 
i know that animal rights activists are trying to perswade the los angeles county fair not to use have trunk will travel's services eg. elephant rides , because of the abuse inflicted upon those elephants
i hop that can follow through and these inocent creatures dont have to deal with such abusive training methods
anyone have any more information behind that ???
 
that video made me want to cry, a co-worker of mine at santa ana zoo saw this happen with her own eyes and said to the lady what the heck are you doing ?, and the lady beating the elephant said dont film me while i am doing this and beat the elephant harder, i just cant stop crying about this footage, elephants are smart and astonishing animals and dont deserve to be treated that way, infact, NO animal should be treated this way
this may sound crazy but we zoochatters need to do something about this pachyderm abuse
 
one of the elephants in the video is a baby, who would have such a cold heart as to abuse a baby animal, god, this stuff just makes me so mad !!!
 
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