Was just getting ready to buy tickets when I decided to look them on up on YouTube . “Have trunks, will travel”. QUICKLY changed my mind. You can hear them say the elephants names as they strike them repeatedly as they train them to do tricks. Thought I was buying tickets for a preserve - not a circus act. No way!!!! Watch the videos. . . I’m betting it will be very difficult to support this mess.
This so called "preserve" is formally known as Have Trunk Will Travel. They movee from California because of the stricter animal policies such as the use of bullhooks. Google their former name and so many animal cruelty articles come up.
In true sanctuaries the animals aren’t paraded about and do tricks. I would love to see and be close to them, but I don’t support this type of fraud, especially from a group of Californians taking advantage of loopholes in the law or misrepresentation.
All of the handlers carry one. They do not use in front of the audience, but they use them as guides to get the specific trick. One could guess they have been used previously to garner such results while using said hook. Edit: Carrying implies prior use, I do not recommend this organization, see my review for further first-hand thoughts.
Do you put a bridle bit in the mouth of a horse? Same thing.
I went the other day and of course I loved the elephants and the staff seemed very nice. We don’t k ow what happens behind the scenes unfortunately. In my heart I’m hoping and praying for the best and hope the elephants are happy. In this sick world of abuse and killing I hope a sanctuary is a sanctuary. Now I was told the tricks they do are to stimulate there mind because even though they roam at the preserve it’s still not like being on there own with dozens of elephants In the wild. So are these tricks they learned years ago and just stuck when rescued or is it really mind stimulating? Anyone’s thoughts?
They have them in case they're needed, but we did not see any one actually touch the elephants with one.
Yes, surprised me too
They had bull hooks when we went, and they carried them to guide the elephants. However, they were used as a guiding tool, not a harming tool. However, I can't say they aren't used behind the scenes, but I don't think so.
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