Major new UK animal protection law will help save numerous endangered species suffering in tourism
New law granted Royal Assent by King within hours of Parliament passing it unopposed
Duncan McNair, CEO of Save The Asian Elephants www.stae.org outlines STAE’s momentous 8 year campaign resulting in world-first legislation to replace brutal tourism exploitation with ethical practices:
1. Why is law needed?
Every year millions of animals are exploited and killed in tourism across the world, threatening the survival of the planet’s most iconic species – elephants, apes, big cats, bears, dolphins, ostriches and exotic birds as well as vulnerable horses, donkeys, camels and many others, all for tourism “fun” and profits. STAE has exposed over 1,200 companies in the UK who profit from advertising nearly 300 brutal elephant venues alone, reflecting the lack of any effective regulation. Law with proper enforcement and penalties is crucial to save these species.
2. How will the new Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act help animals?
The Act prohibits travel companies from selling or advertising attractions or activities abroad which inflict low standards of welfare on any vertebrate animals that would be unlawful if the activity was happening in England and N Ireland. We hope Scotland and Wales will soon enact similar legislation and we are working for that. These measures can be adopted by many other countries where markets in unscrupulous animal-tourism flourish.
3. Which animals will the new law help?
Numerous species globally will benefit. Take Asian elephants – complex, majestic “megagardeners of the forests” which they nourish and sustain. Baby monkeys enslaved from the forests to a life of selfies, tiger cubs drugged and chained for life in tiny cages, lions killed in “canned hunting”, dolphins in tiny featureless pools till death – all and more will gain.
4. When will the new law take effect?
Government must list activities to be prohibited from advertising or selling. STAE is co-ordinating numerous groups to ensure the strongest evidence to protect as many abused animals as soon as possible.
5. How can I help?
It’s thanks to huge public backing for STAE that we have this new law. Polls show over 90% of Britons back us. No one at STAE takes any pay – we work just for the love of helping desperate animals. But as our work expands we have many expenses.
Please help us at https://stae.org/donate/. And we’re on Tw, FB and IG.
In 2023 STAE was named amongst the 10 best charities in the world for helping elephants.