Ending The Brutal Centuries-Old Practice Of ‘Begging’ Elephants' ( Video )

 

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Veer, a severely injured bull elephant, is being used for “begging” despite a crippling leg injury. Video evidence shows him forced to work in chains, enduring visible pain with every step. His condition is critical, and the need to bring him to safety has never been more urgent. A Wildlife SOS rescue operation is underway!

A begging elephant

The ambulance is ready. We’re ready. And we’re going to bring Veer home.

When Wildlife SOS first began the campaign to bring an end to ‘dancing’ bears, most people said it couldn’t be done. In the late 1990s, we embarked on a nationwide effort to save all sloth bears that languished at the end of the rope. By 2009, headlines read “There are no more ‘dancing’ bears in India!” It took a decade of focus to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges, but Wildlife SOS was able to achieve what seemed impossible to most … every last dancing bear in India was rescued and brought to sanctuary.

Elephant Veer finally free and on her way to a better life

Since then, Wildlife SOS has become the leading advocate for captive elephants by building India’s first:

• Humane Elephant Rescue Centers with compassionate care and management techniques.
• India’s first Elephant Hospital using modern equipment and medical practices.
• A specially designed ambulance to rescue elephants in distress.
• Programs to handle elephants through positive conditioning using a protected contact wall.

“Wildlife SOS has been saving elephants for more than a decade, and we have seen firsthand what begging elephants are forced to endure. We have rescued many, but tragically, some elephants have succumbed to their untreated injuries before help could reach them. These situations have been immensely heartbreaking, yet driving us to action.

We knew we couldn’t stand by and wait for another tragedy, now is the time to lead an organised effort to end the cruel practice of begging elephants once and for all.” – Kartick Satyanarayan, CEO and Co-Founder, Wildlife SOS