On behalf of Save the Asian Elephants, pollsters Electoral Calculus and Find Out Now have run a poll about the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023. The Act allows the government to ban UK advertising of cruel animal practices happening abroad. It received strong cross party support, but the government has yet to enforce the ban.
Fieldwork was conducted from 22–23 June 2026, with a sample size of over 2,000. Respondents were asked a set of questions about welfare of animals abroad and the legislation.
The main findings are:
Below you can find a results breakdown for each question of the poll and what the data conveys.
Respondents were given an initial preamble:
Asian elephants used in tourism are taken from the wild when young and trained into obedience. This involves isolation, deprivation of food, water and sleep, and beating and stabbing with rods, spikes and bullhooks. This treatment sometimes results in death. Other endangered species can also suffer and die in tourism such as monkeys, lions, tigers, bears and dolphins. People themselves are regularly killed or injured by captive wild animals.
Critics say this is cruel and that more humane standards and ethical tourism should be encouraged to protect these endangered species, many of which are nearing extinction.
Supporters say it gives entertainment to tourists, creates jobs for locals, and that western countries shouldn't impose their values and culture on others.
Three years ago, Parliament passed a law allowing the government to ban British adverts for such practices happening abroad which would be illegal here.
and then asked the first question:
Q1. "Do you support or oppose this law?"
| Response | All voters | Age 18-39 | Age 40-64 | Age 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support strongly | 63% | 68% | 63% | 59% |
| Support | 23% | 20% | 24% | 24% |
| Neither support nor oppose | 7% | 6% | 8% | 9% |
| Oppose | 2% | 3% | 2% | 2% |
| Oppose strongly | 4% | 4% | 3% | 6% |
| Net support | 86% | 88% | 86% | 83% |
| Net oppose | 6% | 6% | 5% | 8% |
Table excludes those who didn't know (21%)
When asked whether they support or oppose the law, the public are firmly in favour. The vast majority (86pc) support the law, while only 6pc oppose it.
Support is high across all demographic groups. There is a small gender divide, with 89pc of women and 83pc of men supporting the law. Every region records majority support, ranging from 83pc in the North West to 89pc in the West Midlands. Support also crosses party lines, with 95pc of Green voters, 93pc of Liberal Democrats, 87pc of Conservative and Labour voters, and 80pc of Reform UK voters supporting the law.
Respondents were given a second preamble:
The government has not yet used the powers provided by Parliament to ban British adverts for practices involving such treatment. Instead, the government might choose to let the travel industry regulate itself. Over 1,100 companies in the UK currently advertise at least 300 Asian elephant venues alone which use cruel practices.
and then asked the second question:
Q2. "Would you trust or distrust the travel industry regulating itself as to animal welfare abroad?"
| Response | All voters | Age 18-39 | Age 40-64 | Age 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly trust | 2% | 2% | 3% | 1% |
| Trust | 5% | 4% | 5% | 5% |
| Neither trust nor distrust | 22% | 16% | 27% | 22% |
| Distrust | 38% | 39% | 38% | 39% |
| Strongly distrust | 33% | 40% | 28% | 33% |
| Net Trust | 7% | 6% | 8% | 6% |
| Net Distrust | 71% | 79% | 65% | 72% |
Table excludes those who didn't know or preferred not to say (24%)
The public have little trust in the travel industry regulating itself on animal welfare abroad. Only 7pc say they trust industry self regulation, while 71pc say they distrust it.
Trust remains very low in every age group, never rising above 8pc, while distrust is highest with younger voters, reaching 79pc for those aged below 40.
Q3. "Who do you think should take the lead in removing adverts for these venues?"
| Response | All voters | Age 18-39 | Age 40-64 | Age 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Government | 68% | 73% | 66% | 64% |
| Travel industry | 29% | 24% | 31% | 34% |
| No-one | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
Table excludes those who didn't know (27%)
Overall, most people think the government should take the lead in removing adverts for these venues, with 68pc saying the government should act compared with 29pc who think it should be the travel industry.
Labour voters are the most likely to think the government should take the lead, with 76pc support, followed by Green voters on 72pc. Conservative and Reform voters are more divided, but most still think the government should take the lead ahead of industry, by 58pc to 50pc and 54pc to 38pc respectively.
Q4. "Sometimes tourists are killed or injured by exotic animals when visiting such venues. Over 630 people have died, and 890 were injured, from captive Asian elephant attacks worldwide since 1990. Do you think risks like these are acceptable or unacceptable?"
| Response | All voters | Age 18-39 | Age 40-64 | Age 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very acceptable | 7% | 7% | 6% | 7% |
| Acceptable | 8% | 7% | 8% | 8% |
| Neither acceptable not unacceptable | 19% | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Unacceptable | 34% | 33% | 33% | 36% |
| Very unacceptable | 33% | 34% | 32% | 33% |
| Net acceptable | 14% | 14% | 14% | 15% |
| Net unacceptable | 67% | 68% | 65% | 69% |
Table excludes those who didn't know (24%)
When asked about tourists being killed or injured by exotic animals when visiting such venues, the public are clear that risks like these are unacceptable. Just 14pc say they are acceptable, while two-thirds (67pc) say they are unacceptable. This view is not confined to one political camp. Over 70pc of Labour and Green voters say the risks are unacceptable, alongside 62pc of Conservatives, 63pc of Reform voters, and 69pc of Liberal Democrats.
Duncan McNair, CEO of Save the Asian Elephants, said: "The results of this major new independent national survey are overwhelming but unsurprising. They follow the trend of opinion that could not have been stated more clearly by Britons repeatedly for the past decade: that the measures to protect vulnerable animals from brutal tourism now found in the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act must finally be implemented; that Government not travel companies must lead in doing so; and that the catastrophic levels of violent deaths and injuries to humans from attacks by animals tormented by cruel tourism practices are wholly unacceptable. Yet again Save The Asian Elephants and the Low-Welfare Act Coalition call on Government to finally act, for the good of humankind and of the animal kingdom."
Helen Costigan, British tourist, said: "My sister Andrea, a student nurse aged 20, visited Nong Nooch resort in Thailand with me and our late father in 2000 and we went to the elephant show. There were no warning signs about the horrors or dangers in store. The staff spoke no English. We had no protection from the elephants. Elephants and their babies were repeatedly jabbed and stabbed with spikes and nails to scare them into performing tricks.
"A huge tusker elephant, stabbed one time too many, rushed at us. It drove its tusks into Andrea. It lacerated me and smashed our father against the concrete seating. No help whatever was provided by the venue. Andrea died two hours later. We do not blame the elephant, who was reacting to repeated torture and fear. We blame the British government for playing games in promising to implement the Low-Welfare Act, doing little but meeting behind doors with lobbyists for big travel companies making millions from cruel and dangerous animal tourism and talking of the travel industry deciding whether, when and how to regulate this awful market."
Dame Joanna Lumley, said "The Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 is possibly the most significant item of legislation for animals this nation has seen. Many thousands of endangered elephants, monkeys, big cats, bears, dolphins and numerous other species could be saved if the law is now implemented, and also numerous tourists spared from being killed and maimed by maddened creatures abused in captivity. Proper implementation can start the great roll back from looming extinction for so many species.
"Three years have passed since His Majesty gave Royal Assent to this law. Why are we waiting? The British people expect political promises to be kept. So do I. No more self-interested self-regulation. No more chaos and horror. Government – Get your ACT together."
Martin Baxter, CEO of Electoral Calculus, said:
"Our findings have consistently shown strong public support for the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act. This latest poll confirms that support remains strong among men and women, across age groups and regions, and regardless of political affiliation.
"But confidence in the travel industry to regulate itself is very low, so the public look to the government to take the lead and implement the ban. Labour supporters in particular think the government should act and that the risks from these venues are unacceptable."
Find Out Now polled 2,086 GB adults online between 22-23 June 2026. The sample was weighted to be representative by gender, age, social grade, other demographics and past voting patterns.
Find Out Now and Electoral Calculus are both members of the British Polling Council and abide by its rules.
Data tables for this poll are available here.
Save The Asian Elephants was founded in 2015 as a not for profit association (CIC) of prominent professionals, experts and campaigners that informs public opinion on the brutal capture, beating, poaching and abuse for festivals and tourism of these wondrous but beleaguered creatures and the plunder of their habitat; and exerts influence on governments, politicians and the tourist industry to adopt solutions it advances.
Its CEO is Duncan McNair. who is also the Co-ordinator of the Low-Welfare Act Coalition of 150 animal protection organisations. He devised and drove the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act. He was named Legal Hero of the Year 2024 by the Law Society of England and Wales.
Electoral Calculus is a pollster and political consultancy specialising in quantitative analysis and modelling for electoral and other market research projects. It has successfully predicted UK general elections since 2010. It was founded by Martin Baxter, its CEO.
Electoral Calculus is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules, and is a company partner of the Market Research Society.
Find Out Now is a polling and market research panel with 2.8 million members. Highly profiled respondents can be targeted instantly, with over 100,000 daily responses allowing the delivery of same-day nationally representative sampling.
Find Out Now are a member of the British Polling Council and abide by its rules, and are a company partner of the Market Research Society.