Scots team must stop cruel 'sport'

The animal protection organisation is asking the Scottish team's captain, the Duke of Argyll, and its sponsor Chivas Regal whisky to end their association with elephant polo. This game causes both animal welfare and conservation concerns, a view that has strong support among the Asian animal welfare and conservation community.

Advocates for Animals opposes the use of performing wild animals for entertainment. The organisation believes that forcing elephants to 'play polo' is totally unnatural and contrary to their nature. The elephants are trained using a bullhook or ankush, a sharp steel hook that is used to prod the animals into obeying instructions. These hooks can cause open wounds which can become infected and cause pain and discomfort.

Advocates has written to the Duke of Argyll urging him to consider ending his support for elephant polo. Advocates is also asked the managing director of Pernod Ricard, owners of Chivas Regal whisky, to withdraw its sponsorship of the Scottish team.

Elephant Polo is also opposed by a large number of international and Asian animal welfare organisations including the World Society for the Protection of Animals, the Born Free Foundation, International Animal Rescue, the Captive Animals Protection Society, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, The Wildlife Protection Society of India, Asian Animal Protection Network, People for Animals India, Animals Asia Foundation, Blue Cross of India, ACT Asia for Animals, Compassionate Crusaders Trust and Animal Nepal.

According to the Wildlife Protection Society of India, elephants do not breed well in captivity and every single generation of these 'domestic' animals has been augmented with captures from the wild. After the intense trauma that a young calf undergoes at being forcibly separated from its mother and herd, it is put through a brutal training process to make it submit to human commands.

Advocates for Animals,

Queesferry Street, Edinburgh