Asia for Animals Coalition insists the Indonesian Minister of
Environment and Forestry to end the use of animals as photo props and in
performances in zoos and safari parks.
In a letter to the minister, representing international animal welfare and conservation organisations, the Asia for Animals Coalition expressed deep concerns with regards to the use of animals as “photo props” and in performances in zoos and safari parks in Indonesia.
On the 25th February, footage was circulated of two lion
cubs being used as photo props and interacting with a child at Taman Safari Prigen, Pasuruan (East Java). The Asia for
Animals Coalition is strongly opposed to such exploitation of animals for
entertainment and in recent weeks, there has been mounting media coverage and
exposés of the inadequate care and treatment of animals in a number of zoos and
safari parks throughout Indonesia.
"Our member organisations have received an increasing number of
complaints from international tourists. The abusive and exploitative treatment
of animals used as photo props and in animal performances at these facilities
is of concern, given the techniques known to be used to control the
animals during training and performances, and given the significant risk this
poses to public safety. Asia for Animals Coalition members have witnessed first
hand staff at Taman Safari in Bali struggling to control a lion cub being
exploited in this way,” the letter said.
The animals used as ‘photo props’ are often orphaned when they are
young, housed in small, barren enclosures and released from their
confinement only for a few minutes when they are used for photo props and in
performances, and discarded when they are less ‘cute’.
Furthermore, the use of wild animals in such a manner also contributes
to the desensitisation of society to animal violence as viewers, including
young children, are taught to regard animals simply as objects to be used and
abused for entertainment. This abusive treatment of animals serves no
educational value and also leads to a negative international image of
Indonesia, with tourists returning to their home countries reporting cases of
animal abuse rather than highlighting the natural beauty and the rich cultural
experiences that Indonesia is so famous for.
Globally we are seeing an ever-growing number of countries banning the
use of wild animals in performances, with over 50 countries around the world
already having passed progressive laws. Indonesia’s on-going support of animal
exploitation in the name of entertainment in circuses and shows at zoos and
safari parks is therefore in contravention to the trend we are seeing around
the world where there is growing concern for animal welfare and recognition of
the wholly unacceptable abusive techniques relied on for human-animal
interactions and animal performances at such venues.
Whilst we applaud the
Indonesian government for their pledge to standardise captive animal care
through national regulation to better protect animal welfare, on behalf of our
members globally, we appeal for you to join the international movement against
the use and abuse of animals in performances and as photo props, and
to take strong and immediate action to put an end to this exploitation
that poses grave risks to animal welfare and public safety.
“We urge you to work with local and international groups to develop
strengthened laws safeguarding animal welfare nationwide, ensuring they serve
as venues of education and to promote conservation of wildlife, not animal
exploitation and abuse,” the letter stated.
The letter sent on behalf of the following organisations:
1.Animal Guardians
2.Animal People
3.Animals Asia
Foundation
4.ACRES
5.Blue Cross of
India
6.Change for
Animals Foundation
7.Elephant Aid
International
8.Federation of
Indian Animal Protection Organisations
9.Humane Society
International
10.Philippine
Animal Welfare Society
11.Royal Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
12.Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Hong Kong
13.Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Sarawak, Malaysia
14.World Animal
Protection
The Asia for Animals coalition is supported by the following
organisations:
1. AAP Rescue Centre for Exotic
Animals, NETHERLANDS
2. Action
for Animals in Korea, KOREA
3. All
Life In A Viable Environment, JAPAN
4. Andhra
Pradesh Goshalala Federation, INDIA
5. Anima, MACAU
6. Animal
Aid Society, INDIA
7. Animal
Defenders International, LONDON
8. Animal
Friends, CROATIA
9. Animal
Friends Niigata, JAPAN
10. Animal
Kingdom Foundation, Inc., PHILIPPINES
11. Animal
Nepal, NEPAL
12. Animal
Nepal.org, NEPAL
13. Animal
Protection Network, SWEDEN
14. Animal
Rights Action Network, IRELAND
15. Animal
Rights Centre Japan, JAPAN
16. Animal
Rights Hawaii, HAWAII
17. Animals
Australia, AUSTRALIA
18. APES,
SOUTH AFRICA
19. ARK
Animal Refuge Kansai Japan, JAPAN
20. Australia
for Dolphins, AUSTRALIA
21. Australians
for Animals, AUSTRALIA
22. Bali
Animal Welfare Association, INDONESIA
23. Bali
Sea Turtle Society (BSTS), INDONESIA
24. Behavioural & Environmental Solutions, USA
25. Beijing
Pet Adoption Day 北京领养日, CHINA
26. Beijing
Sunflower Friends of Animal Team 北京市向日葵动物之友志愿者团队, CHINA
27. Bharatiya
Prani Mitra Sangh, Hyderabad, INDIA
28. Big
Cat Rescue,
29. Big
Heart Foundation, RUSSIA
30. Blue
Cross of Hyderabad, INDIA
31. Blue
Cross Youth Seva Sangham - Andhra Pradesh, INDIA
32. Born
Free Foundation, UK
33. British
Hen Welfare Trust, UK
34. Cat
Welfare Society, SINGAPORE
35. Causes
for Animals Ltd, SINGAPORE
36. Centre
for Orangutan Protection, INDONESIA
37. Cetacean Society International, USA
38. Changchun
3.10 Shanxiao Fund 长春 3.10 善小基金, CHINA
39. Changsha
Small Animal Protection Association 长沙市小动物保护协会 , CHINA
40. Chengde
Cat Forest 承德猫咪森林流浪猫救助团队, CHINA
41. Chengdu Home of Love Small Animal Rescue Center 成都市双流县爱之家动物救助中心, CHINA
42. China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development
Foundation, CHINA
43. China
Farm Animal Protection Coalition 中国农场动物保护联盟, CHINA
44. China
Journalists Salon for Animal Protection 中国动物保护记者沙龙, CHINA
45. China
Youth Animal Protection Alliance 中国青年动物保护联盟, CHINA
46. China
Zoo Watch, CHINA
47. Compassion
in World Farming, UK
48. Compassion
Unlimited Plus Action, Bangalore, INDIA
49. Compassion
Works International, USA
50. CPR Environmental Education Centre, INDIA
51. Dalian
VSHINE Protection of Animals SPCA 大连市微善爱护动物协会, CHINA
52. Darjeeling
Animal Shelter, INDIA
53. Darjeeling
Goodwill Animal Shelter (DGAS) 'Trust', INDIA
54. David
Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, UK
55. Djurens
Ratt (Animals Right Sweden), SWEDEN
56. Djurskyddet
Sverige (Animal Welfare Sweden), SWEDEN
57. Dobro
Surtse, BULGARIA
58. DOGSTOP,
HONG KONG
59. Dolphin Project,
60. Dzivnieku
Draugs, LATVIA
61. EAST,
Taiwan, TAIWAN
62. Egyptian
Society of Animal Friends, EGYPT
63. Elephant
Asia Rescue & Survival Foundation, HONG KONG
64. Elephants
DC, USA
65. ElephantVoices, KENYA
66. Elsa
Nature Conservancy, JAPAN
67. EMS
Foundation, SOUTH AFRICA
68. Ente
Nazionale Protezione Animali - Onlus, ITALY
69. Environment
Films, UK
70. European
Animal Protection Foundation / Europaeische
Tierschutzstiftung, SWITZERLAND
71. FAADA, SPAIN
72. Fanciers
Nanning Stray Cats 南宁流浪猫论坛, CHINA
73. Finnish
Federation for Animal Welfare Organisations (SEY), FINLAND
74. For
Elephants International, INTERNATIONAL
75. Four
Paws (UK), UK
76. Four
Paws International, INTERNATIONAL
77. Friendicoes
SECA, INDIA
78. Friends of the Earth Malaysia, MALAYSIA
79. Fuzhou
Aixinyuan Stray Animal Rescue Center 福州爱心缘流浪动物救助中心, CHINA
80. Fuzhou
Small Animal Protection Center 福州小动物保护中心, CHINA
81. Gansu
Green Volunteer Home 甘肃绿色志愿者之家, CHINA
82. GREY2K
USA Worldwide, USA
83. Greyhound Compassion, UK
84. Guangdong
the Best Volunteer Center 首善广东志愿者中心, CHINA
85. Guangyuan
Bo’ai Animal Protection Center 广元市博爱动物保护中心, CHINA
86. Guangzhou
Cat -Xi Xi Forest 熙熙森林广州猫, CHINA
87. Hefei
Kennel Association Care Center 合肥犬业协会小动物关怀中心, CHINA
88. Help
Animals India, INDIA
89. Himalayan
Animal Rescue Trust, UK
90. HK Dolphin Conservation Society, HK
91. Huhhot
Angel Guardian 呼和浩特天使守护动物保护公益团队,
92. Iceland
Animal Welfare Foundation, ICELAND
93. In
Defence of Animals, India, INDIA
94. Indonesian
Vegetarian Society, INDONESIA
95. International
Otter Survival Fund, UK
96. International
Primate Protection League, INTERNATIONAL
97. Jakarta
Animal Aid, INDONESIA
98. Japan
Anti-Vivisection Association, JAPAN
99. JBF
India Trust, INDIA
100. Jeevraksha Animal Welfare Trust, INDIA
101. Jinan
Cattery 济南猫窝, CHINA
102. Karuna
Society for Animals & Nature, INDIA
103. Kathmandu
Animal Treatment Centre, NEPAL
104. Korea
Animal Rights Advocate, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
105. Korean
Animal Welfare Association, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
106. Lanta Animal Welfare, HONG KONG
107. Lanzhou
Street Animal Rescue Station 兰州流浪动物救助站, CHINA
108. Life
Conservationist Association, TAIWAN
109. Lifelong
Animal Protection, HONG KONG
110. Light
of Life Veterinary Clinic, SINGAPORE
111. Love Wildlife Foundation, THAILAND
112. Lucky
Cats 幸运土猫志愿者团体, CHINA
113. Marine
Connection, UK
114. MelbournDolphin, AUSTRALIA
115. moonbears.org, KOREA
116. Nanchang
Small Animal Protection Association 南昌小动物保护协会, CHINA
117. Nanjing Ping An A Fu Stray Animal Rescue
Association 南京平安阿福流浪动物救助会, CHINA
118. National
Council of SPCAs, SOUTH AFRICA
119. Navale
Consulting Group, INDIA
120. No
Whales In Captivity, USA
121. Orangutan
Aid, HONG KONG
122. Otara
Foundation, SRI LANKA
123. Palawan
Animal Welfare Association, PHILIPINNES
124. People
For Animals, INDIA
125. People
For Animals - Chennai, INDIA
126. People
For Animals - Hooghly, INDIA
127. People
For Animals - Pune Unit, INDIA
128. Performing Animal Welfare Society, USA
129. Pet
Orphans Home 汪汪喵呜孤儿院, CHINA
130. PETA
Asia 亚洲善待动物组织, HONG KONG
131. Phangan
Animal Care, THAILAND
132. Plant
& Animal Welfare Society, INDIA
133. ProWildlife e.V., GERMANY
134. Qingdao
Society for the Protection of Animals 青岛爱护动物协会, CHINA
135. RAKSHA
- Voice of the Voiceless, INDIA
136. Rattle
the Cage Productions, THAILAND
137. reEarth, BAHAMAS
138. Royal
Veterinary College, University of London, Hong Kong, HONG KONG
139. Sahabat
Alam (Friends of the Earth) Malaysia, MALAYSIA
140. Sahayog
Organisation, Andhra Pradesh Goshalala Federation, Hyderabad, INDIA
141. SAI
(Save Animals Initiative) Sanctuary Trust, INDIA
142. Sanctuary
for Health & Reconnection to Animals & Nature, INDIA
143. Save Africa's Elephants, AFRICA
144. Shandong
Yantai Caring Street Animals Rescue Shelter 山东省烟台市爱心流浪动物救助收容 中心, CHINA
145. Showing Animals Respect and Kindness,
146. Sichuan
Qiming Companion Animal Protection Center 四川省启明小动物保护中心, CHINA
147. SJZ
One Meter More Love stray cats rescue group 石家庄一米爱流浪猫救助团队, CHINA
148. Society
for Animal Welfare and Management, NEPAL
149. Society
for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - AWBI, INDIA
150. Society
for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - Penang, PENANG
151. Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - Selangor, MALAYSIA
152. Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Xiangzhou, Zhuhai) 珠海市香洲区爱护动物 协会, CHINA
153. Soi
Dog Foundation, THAILAND
154. Stiftung
fuer Baeren / Foundation for Bears, SWITZERLAND
155. Stray
Relief and Animal Welfare, INDIA
156. Sun
Bear Centre - Kalimantan, INDONESIA
157. Swiss
Animal Protection SAP / Schweizer Tierschutz STS / Protection Suisse des
Animaux PSA , SWITZERLAND
158. Taiwan
SPCA 台灣防止虐待動物協會, TAIWAN
159. Thai
Fund for Elephant Foundation, THAILAND
160. THANE
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, INDIA
161. The
Cattitude Trust - Chennai, INDIA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG-DGgTi3jc
%20copy.jpg)
