How to buy and import a domesticated elephant?

[Fidgits]

ali_kat said:

ewenm said:

ali_kat said:

plasticpig said:

ali_kat said:

Why?

Simple really. I live in the East Midlands which has a high Asian population. Lots of traditional Indian weddings have elephants present. So with some other investors I am starting to investigate the potential of wedding elephant hire. Just like wedding car hire but with elephants instead of cars. Elephant trekking and kids parties also look like good potential income earners.

Do you have an exceptionally large, secure back yard then ?

Seriously, you may want to rethink this idea, under the Dangerous Animals Act 1976

You can't keep them privately, and IIRC you can't keep them in a Circus anymore either.

It wouldn't be private though - it'd be kept by a business as a working animal...

Hence I mentioned the Circus bit, there is legislation going through at the moment to stop that as well.

could you not, say, just claim its a really big, hairless dog?

[Gretchen]

ali_kat said:

ewenm said:

ali_kat said:

plasticpig said:

ali_kat said:

Why?

Simple really. I live in the East Midlands which has a high Asian population. Lots of traditional Indian weddings have elephants present. So with some other investors I am starting to investigate the potential of wedding elephant hire. Just like wedding car hire but with elephants instead of cars. Elephant trekking and kids parties also look like good potential income earners.

Do you have an exceptionally large, secure back yard then ?

Seriously, you may want to rethink this idea, under the Dangerous Animals Act 1976

You can't keep them privately, and IIRC you can't keep them in a Circus anymore either.

It wouldn't be private though - it'd be kept by a business as a working animal...

Hence I mentioned the Circus bit, there is legislation going through at the moment to stop that as well.

The file I opened on that site says a licence is needed to keep elephants privately, as is for Walrus' and Giant Armadillo in case you're interested in using them for drawing carriages.

[ali_kat]

Read that

Also read the bit about them wanting to make Skanda Vale monastery a Zoo so it could keep their elephant

And that in Blackpool in 2002 - 3 elephant keepers had been killed in 2 years.

[plasticpig]

ali_kat said:

plasticpig said:

ali_kat said:

Why?

Simple really. I live in the East Midlands which has a high Asian population. Lots of traditional Indian weddings have elephants present. So with some other investors I am starting to investigate the potential of wedding elephant hire. Just like wedding car hire but with elephants instead of cars. Elephant trekking and kids parties also look like good potential income earners.

Do you have an exceptionally large, secure back yard then ?

Seriously, you may want to rethink this idea, under the Dangerous Animals Act 1976


You can't keep them privately, and IIRC you can't keep them in a Circus anymore either.

Someone allready does it: http://www.wedding-horse.co.uk/elephant.htm

I understand they are on the Schedule but as long as we have somewhere secure and suitable to keep them (wich we believe we have) and proper transport for them then it should be possible to get a licence.

[DJFish]

ali_kat said:

And that in Blackpool in 2002 - 3 elephant keepers had been killed in 2 years.

Did they catch something from swimming in the sea?

[ali_kat]

plasticpig said:

ali_kat said:

plasticpig said:

ali_kat said:

Why?

Simple really. I live in the East Midlands which has a high Asian population. Lots of traditional Indian weddings have elephants present. So with some other investors I am starting to investigate the potential of wedding elephant hire. Just like wedding car hire but with elephants instead of cars. Elephant trekking and kids parties also look like good potential income earners.

Do you have an exceptionally large, secure back yard then ?

Seriously, you may want to rethink this idea, under the Dangerous Animals Act 1976


You can't keep them privately, and IIRC you can't keep them in a Circus anymore either.

Someone allready does it: http://www.wedding-horse.co.uk/elephant.htm

I understand they are on the Schedule but as long as we have somewhere secure and suitable to keep them (wich we believe we have) and proper transport for them then it should be possible to get a licence.

I'm not knocking your idea!!

But they are very dangerous animals! Wonderful ones, but dangerous.

[markmullen]

You, sir, are a king amongst men for even considering it.

I trust that if you acquire an elephant you will bring it to PH events, I would PMSL if you rocked up at BTaP, or even better VMax, onboard an elephant!

[Fittster]

ali_kat said:

I'm not knocking your idea!!

.

Just pointing out that the chance of the entire wedding party making it to the reception alive is quite small. Type elephant ramage into youtube

[dr.sickman]

Delightful!

[walm]

Slightly OT, but Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a damn good read.

[shadowninja]

plasticpig said:

Someone allready does it: http://www.wedding-horse.co.uk/elephant.htm

those indian weddings are subtle affairs, aren't they.

[Obi Wan]

Best. Thread. Ever.

[360 detailing]

Gretchen said:

Although the idea of travelling to a wedding via elephant may sound appealing to some, I imagine the public liability insurance would be astornomical (can you actually use an elephant on public roads?).

I wonder where you'd even find an insurance quote.

Not allowed on main roads, only trunk roads....................

[Tunku]

What a hoot!

I'm afraid my knowledge of elephant importage is limited, but good luck.

[plasticpig]

Fittster said:

ali_kat said:

I'm not knocking your idea!!

.

Just pointing out that the chance of the entire wedding party making it to the reception alive is quite small. Type elephant ramage into youtube

Well we would have to find some properly qualified Mahouts. You can do elephant trekking in Sri Lanka and Thailand.

[ali_kat]

plasticpig said:

Fittster said:

ali_kat said:

I'm not knocking your idea!!

.

Just pointing out that the chance of the entire wedding party making it to the reception alive is quite small. Type elephant ramage into youtube

Well we would have to find some properly qualified Mahouts. You can do elephant trekking in Sri Lanka and Thailand.

you would. I think it is a great idea, but think that you really need to consider the legal implications of keeping an elephant = people are going to come see it, which 'may' get DEFRA wanting to impose Zoo sanctions on you like they did at the monastatry.

And being able to go treking in Sri Lanka and Thailand has what to do with keeping an elephant in the UK? They are in their natural habitat there!

[trimbo]

plasticpig said:

Well we would have to find some properly qualified Mahouts.

Indeed you would, probably easier to start a separate thread for those.

This is really a superb read, cheers plasticpig

[g4ry13]

plasticpig said:

ali_kat said:

Why?

Simple really. I live in the East Midlands which has a high Asian population. Lots of traditional Indian weddings have elephants present. So with some other investors I am starting to investigate the potential of wedding elephant hire. Just like wedding car hire but with elephants instead of cars. Elephant trekking and kids parties also look like good potential income earners.

I like your idea, it's pretty clever Have you looked into how much someone would actually be willing to pay to rent an elephant, number of weddings in the area and the cost of maintenance, vets, housing etc.? Or is this an idea based on a whim at the moment?

[tubbystu]

g4ry13 said:

I like your idea, it's pretty clever Have you looked into how much someone would actually be willing to pay to rent an elephant, number of weddings in the area and the cost of maintenance, vets, housing etc.?

Oh to be a fly on the wall the day you present your business plan to the bank manager - and make his day , month , quarter , year ,

life

[Gaffer]

ali_kat said:

And that in Blackpool in 2002 - 3 elephant keepers had been killed in 2 years.

I used to go on a Saturday to the circus (Blackpool - the stables were under the Tower) and feed the elephants and give them a bath, my next door neighbour was in charge of all the animals.

At the end of the season, I was allowed to dress up and go into the ring wiht the clowns / performers. I had a fairy costume and rode a horse.

Claire

Edited by Gaffer on Thursday 11th October 19:11