4th November 2011

Sambo is a 51 year old, female elephant, living a solitary life in the city of Phnom Penh for the last 30 years. She walks a 4km round trip from her living area behind a casino to Wat Phnom temple. Sambo stands at the temple up to 9 hours a day, 4 days a week, with a heavy chair on her back and gives rides to tourists. This poor elephant has appalling feet, and limps due to painful abscesses and overgrown toenails that have been neglected due to her owners greed for money.

On Sat 29th October 2011, EARS funded and supported the entire medical examination for Sambo. Her owners were eager for us to examine their elephant due to her foot condition.

Dr Paolo Martelli, DMV (liege), CertZooMed (RCVS), Chief Veterinarian, Ocean Park, Hong Kong, flew to Phnom Penh to issue a full medical report. His Conclusion states that she is painfully lame as a result of pododermatitis, osteitis, ostoelysis, deep sepsis and other lesions. Furthermore, if the lameness is not improved drastically it will lead to degeneration of all joints in all limbs. This will result in an incapacitated animal. The main reason explaining the limb lesions is the lifestyle of the animal which involves walking on hard ground, and walking on hard ground on damaged feet.

SAMBO NEEDS URGENT TREATMENT - Her owners are sadly putting the tourist dollar before their elephant’s health.

EARS will fund the entire medical treatment if this elephant is retired. We are unable to treat her whilst she still walks on hard ground as advised by the vet.

We need YOUR help. We need you to voice your concern by sending letters to the authorities in Cambodia.

Please ‘Print, Sign and Post’ the November 2011 letter politely asking the officials concerned to retire Sambo to a rescue centre or sanctuary, and for a ban on elephants from the city areas so she is not replaced with another elephant.

Please sign your name at the bottom adding your address (optional), and your country.

When writing the envelope, ensure the title, name and address are printed clearly and spelt correctly.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Sambo’s feet are in excruciating pain yet she is still forced to work

Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th October 2011

Dr Martelli examining Sambo

Taking X-rays

Abscesses on her feet

June 2011

Deep black abscess on the sole of her right foot

She constantly lifts her right leg to relieve the pressure

LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF PHNOM PENH: Sambo Dec 2011 - GOVERNOR.doc

LETTER TO THE FORESTRY ADMINISTRATION: Sambo Dec 2011 - FORESTRY.doc

June 2011

June 2011

Wednesday 2nd November 2011

UPDATE:

6th December 2011

Sambo has deteriorated quite dramatically since Dr Martelli’s visit on 29th October. If Government officials don’t act soon there is a strong possibility that Sambo will collapse on the city streets and then the problem of moving her will be much worse than it is right now.

Please send your letters to the Government TODAY voicing concern for this beautiful elephant before it’s too late.

Sambo’s deteriorating infected swollen feet. Photo taken 10th December 2011