Such a sad story this weekend from Louise Rogerson, Founder of EARS (Elephant Asia Rescue and Survival Foundation). Louise worked for Animals Asia in our UK office several years ago and went on to found EARS in November 2010.

She now writes about a beautiful 51-year-old elephant called Sambo, who has worked a solitary life as a trekking elephant at Wat Phnom temple in Cambodia for 30 long years. Sambo is in excruciating pain with overgrown toenails and badly abscessed feet and has even been seen by a vet who describes her as "gravely and painfully lame".

The recommendations for Sambo is that she be urgently retired and offered an 18-24 month treatment plan which can offer a "dramatic improvement" in her condition.

Please support an international letter campaign actioned by EARS to help retire Sambo to one of two sanctuaries who have offered to take her, and to ban all elephants from the city so that Sambo will never be replaced.

Every day, hundreds of elephants across Asia suffer as they are made to walk the streets begging from tourists, suffer the consequences of trekking rides, or are forced to perform in circuses. Sanctuaries are working hard to turn these cruel practices around and encouraging more tourists to spend time and dollars helping to retire these elephants into a place of kindness for the rest of their lives.

Together we can help one elephant and also help Louise and her team at EARS in their campaign to retire these gentle giants to a life free from pain and suffering. Please see the link here.