This Bill is amongst the most important animal-related bills ever in the UK, protecting millions of endangered animals worldwide and has now passed its Second Reading in the House of Lords.

A person pulling an elephantDescription automatically generated with low confidence

(Pajan: the brutal, often fatal, “breaking of the spirits” of young elephants for easy use in tourism).

Save The Asian Elephants (“STAE”) with the backing of 100 leading UK animal welfare charities and influencers is pioneering the Bill to end the UK’s sale and advertising of practices abroad where wildlife is cruelly exploited in tourism. The Bill, a world-first for Britain, has attracted interest from many nations across the world including the EU bloc, USA and Australia.

The Bill has passed all stages in the House of Commons without opposition. STAE and its numerous supporters urged the House of Lords to vote for the Bill at the Second Reading Friday 14 July 2023 and now urges the public to support this most vital measure.

STAE’s goal is for the Bill to pass into law with huge public backing, so keeping government’s focus on implementing it most robustly.

By prohibiting the UK advertising and sale of access to activities abroad which involve cruelty to animals, the Bill will steer the market towards ethical and safe venues.

This will throw a lifeline to numerous endangered species and enable their observation in natural surroundings from a respectful distance, and without transmission of highly infectious and deadly TB. It will also protect tourists from species such as elephants who often attack when provoked by torture.

STAE’s CEO, Duncan McNair, states:

“STAE has pioneered such measures because of the brutal treatment of numerous species in modern tourism, so much generated in the UK. Such law will curb promotion of ruthless practices upon many species in favour of genuine sanctuaries and wildlife reserves.

STAE has built a vast database of evidence of appalling abuse of animals at tourist facilities vigorously promoted by UK based travel companies. Abused species such as Asian elephants when provoked often attack tourists, sometimes fatally. Unethical conditions also encourage the transmission of deadly zoonotic diseases like TB.”

The UK market lacks any effective regulation. Law is needed to prevent such brutality to vulnerable and endangered species. The market is huge and growing. In Thailand captive elephants gave 13 million rides in 2016 and yet only 2,800 tourist elephants survive there, many worked to death. In 2018/19 two million UK tourists visited India and Thailand. 32% of those visiting Thailand reported riding an elephant or wishing to. The Asia-Pacific tourist market is the fastest growing in the world.

STAE has identified to date over 1,200 UK based travel companies advertising nearly 300 brutal overseas elephant venues alone.