Category: animal cruelty

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These Photos Warn Tourists to Stop Riding Elephants in Thailand

Hundreds of thousands of Westerners visit Thailand each year, and one of the “must-try” activities is riding a majestic elephant. But tourists are now being urged to stop, thanks to the revelation of some truly heartbreaking photos.

A Twitter user posted several photos of elephants in Thailand being cruelly mistreated. Their keepers, called mahouts, keep them in line by hitting them with sharp metal hooks, often hard enough to draw blood. Their heads are covered in old wounds.

Around 3000 elephants are currently used for entertainment across Asia, and 77 percent are treated inhumanely, according to the World Animal Protection. Elephants are often ripped from their mothers prematurely, violently broken into submission, then subjected to a lifetime of abuse and isolation.

While Thai government agencies are working to end animal cruelty, officials also urge visitors to boycott businesses that treat their animals this way.

“We never support tourists riding the elephants,” a spokesperson for the Tourism Authority of Thailand told Yahoo! News. “Please don’t ride the elephants and don’t support this business.”

Photo Credit: iStock

There are about 3500 wild elephants in Thailand and about 4500 domesticated elephants. The domesticated elephants are classified as “working animals,” just like livestock. Animal advocates are working to change this classification in order to offer more protections to elephants.

If tourists want to enjoy these beautiful animals, one option is to visit a wild elephant sanctuary. There, tourists can observe and pet the animals, but cannot ride them.

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This German Circus Replaced Animals with Holograms, and It Is Great

Accusations against animal cruelty in the circus have led to a worldwide decline in the circus’ popularity (rightfully so), and legal restrictions on animal performances in many countries have made it a less attractive way to make a living, financially speaking.

But this German circus has gotten creative, finding a way to satisfy both those seeking the magic of close-up encounters and those worried about the safety and welfare of performing animals: holograms.

Circus Roncalli has been in business since 1976, but they’ve only recently begun using holographic animals in their performances. They are projected onto a 360-degree screen, which means there isn’t a bad seat in the house for what seems like a show that goes way above and beyond the offerings of a regular circus.

Because the animals aren’t real, the Circus Roncalli doesn’t let reality hold them back. Among the “regulars” like elephants and tigers, you’ll find giant fish and other species that wouldn’t exactly feel at home elsewhere.

And don’t worry – clowns, acrobats, and magicians are still very much a part of the “live” performance.

That said, I’m pretty sure the holographic animals are, and will remain, the stars of the show.

And now the circus can say – and mean – that no animals were harmed in the pursuit of your entertainment. How great is that?

They’re touring Europe now, but one can hope they’ll bring their show across the pond soon – or that an American circus will take a page from their holographic book.

The post This German Circus Replaced Animals with Holograms, and It Is Great appeared first on UberFacts.

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Nabisco Sets Animal Crackers Free from Their Circus Cages

It’s a symbolic gesture, but an important one, nonetheless. After 116 years, the famous Barnum’s Animal Crackers have a brand new box design – and the details are important.

To refresh your memory, here’s what the old box looked like.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

Now here’s the new design for the packaging.

After 116 Years, Barnum's Animal Crackers are…

Posted by I LOVE DESIGN DGO on Sunday, April 21, 2019

That’s right, the animals have been “freed” – they are no longer in cages and behind bars. A push from folks at PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) helped to spark the change.

The new design shows the animals walking across the savannah with no bars, cages, or chains in sight. PETA’s people got in touch with the company back in 2016 and suggested it might be a good idea to show the animals in their natural environments.

Several companies make animal crackers, but Nabisco’s Barnum brand has been the most popular for decades. The brand was named after the legendary P.T. Barnum, and Nabisco started manufacturing the cookies in 1902. Obviously,  attitudes towards animals have changed since then.

Times have changed so much that in May 2017, the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus closed business for good.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

In a statement, PETA said, “The new box for Barnum’s Animals perfectly reflects that our society no longer tolerates caging and chaining exotic animals for circus shows.”

Bravo! Any progress is good these days…

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