30007 Signatures Collected

PETITION TARGET: Government Leaders of Chitwan District, Nepal

Brutally abused elephants endured the stabbing pain of bullhooks piercing their skin and blunt force trauma of sticks slamming into their heads during the cruel Chitwan Elephant Festival in Nepal, as seen in footage released by PETA.

Handlers aggressively struck the elephants behind their ears and in other sensitive areas to gain their cooperation in performing unnatural activities like racing, giving rides, and mimicking football and polo games. Many elephants bore fresh, bloody neck and ear wounds from being painfully gouged and battered.

Appalled onlookers captured the cruel displays on film, including handlers riding atop these poor elephants while beating them into submission.

Handlers intimidate these innocent creatures into participating in the barbaric festival with persistent threats of violence and merciless “training” methods justified in the name of family-friendly entertainment.

The annual Chitwan Elephant Festival continues to abuse animals despite the declining popularity of such events and amid the growing realization that these festivals subject elephants to unnecessary torture and forced labor.

We must speak up against the Chitwan Elephant Festival and ensure that animal cruelty will not be tolerated. Please, sign this petition to let local leaders know that you refuse to spend your tourist dollars in the Chitwan District until this vicious festival ends.