Paul McCartney pens letter requesting help for abused Indian elephant

Los Angeles, Sep. 15 (IANS): Musician Sir Paul McCartney has launched a campaign to get an elephant to be rescued after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) shared a ‘heartbreaking’ video of the animal in captivity.

PEOPLE shared that the avid vegetarian, 80, has written a letter pleading for the release of Jeymalyatha, who he says has “suffered more than enough” and deserves to spend the rest of her life being cared for at a sanctuary, reports aceshowbiz.com.

On behalf of PETA India, he wrote a letter to the Indian government asking for the rescue of the elephant kept at a temple in Tamil Nadu, India. PETA said inspectors from its Indian arm recently visited Jeymalyatha for a veterinarian inspection.

It claims footage it captured shows the beast being beaten while chained and abused with pliers by her caretakers.

PETA also claimed Jeymalyatha is kept bound by two legs for at least 16 hours a day and has infected feet from spending so much of her life standing on concrete.

Sir Paul’s letter to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change official in India begins, “I have considered India a spiritual place ever since I travelled there in the 1960s. I was impressed by India’s cultural love for animals. I know India reveres elephants, its national heritage animal, but cruelty to animals happens everywhere, even in India.”

He went on, “What reflects on a country’s values is how that cruelty is addressed. That’s why I am confident that action will be taken to send the sorely abused elephant Jeymalyatha (Joymala) to a suitable rescue centre where she can receive the specialized care she needs for her psychological wounds, and can live unchained and in the company of others of her kind.”

He added about the footage, “The videos showing Jeymalyatha being controlled with weapons, and screaming as she is beaten by various trainers is heartbreaking, but equally as heartbreaking is that this social, intelligent animal is still being forced to live in solitary confinement, on concrete, nearly constantly in chains, under the control of those she can only fear.”