Paul McCartney Urges Rescue of Abused Elephant in India

Rania Aniftos
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After seeing two videos of an elephant in India being beaten by handlers, Sir Paul McCartney has teamed up with PETA India to send a letter to the Indian government requesting help for the animal, named Jeymalyatha.

“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,” McCartney wrote in the letter. “I know India reveres elephants, its national heritage animal, but cruelty to animals happens everywhere, even in India. What reflects on a country’s values is how that cruelty is addressed.”

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“I trust you agree that Jeymalyatha has suffered more than enough, and that she deserves to spend the rest of her time on this Earth away from her abusive trainers, rehabilitating, and with others of her kind,” the letter added.

McCartney and PETA are urging officials to move the elephant to a reputable rescue center immediately. PETA India also submitted a veterinary inspection report to Indian officials, pointing out that Jeymalyatha’s current handler used pliers on her skin right in front of inspectors.

The veteran rock star has a long history of promoting a vegan lifestyle and advocating for animal safety. He also teamed up with PETA for his 78th birthday in 2020, when a video for the organization titled “Glass Walls” showed how horrific animal slaughterhouse conditions are. “That’s why this year I’m urging fans to watch a video I hosted for PETA titled ‘Glass Walls.’ We called it that because if slaughterhouses had glass walls, who would want to eat meat?” he wrote in a guest blog for the group at the time.

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