PETA urges ban on elephants' entry in urban areas

Indore, Sep 23 (UNI) People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has urged Chief Ministers of various states to follow Mumbai's lead by banning entry of elephants into urban areas.

''There was need of compassion for elephants which are forced to walk on scorching-hot and pothole-ridden roads in busy traffic amid a cacophony of horns and engines'', PETA said in a statement today.

Film personalities Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, John Abraham, Raveena Tandon, MP Priya Dutt, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Isha Koppikar, Mahesh Bhatt, Yana Gupta, Rahul Khanna, Celina Jaitley, Gulshan Grover and many others have also signed PETA's petition urging Chief Ministers across the country to ban the entry of elephants into urban areas.

This petition is timed to mark the first death anniversary of elephant Lakshmi, which was killed by a truck last September. The government of Maharashtra has already banned the entry of elephants into Mumbai. Elephants were prodded and hooked with sharp, metal ankuses that cause pain and suffering. When not working, the elephants are chained causing deadly foot ailments and skin problems, the statement said.

Allowing elephants in crowded urban areas also poses a danger to the public. Frightened elephants often rampaged mahouts.

''We hope that other governments will emulate the progressive step of the government of Maharashtra. The petition should serve as a wake-up call'', PETA functionary Anuradha Sawhney said.

UNI