PETA to Protest Government’s Refusal to Strengthen Penalties for Animal Cruelty
For Immediate Release:
23 October 2002
Contact:
Poorva Joshipura (O) 98201 22602, E-Mail: PoorvaJ@PETA.org
Delhi — To draw attention to the suffering of animals during transport to slaughter, an ‘Angel of Death’ will beat a life-like ‘bull calf’, soaking the pavement in his ‘blood’ (red paint), at Jantar Mantar crossing while PETA members hold signs reading, ‘India: Stop Cruel Transport’ and ‘Vajpayee: Strengthen Penalties for Animal Abuse’. PETA is protesting in Delhi, hoping to encourage Prime Minister Vajpayee to pass legislation that would increase the currently outdated and ineffective penalties for overcrowded transport and other cruelty to animals. PETA also hopes to encourage officials to take tangible action to stop rampant beating and such severe and unlawful overcrowding of animals during transport that their bones break, they suffocate and many die.
Date: Thursday 24 October
Time: 1 pm (sharp)
Place: Jantar Mantar Crossing, in front of Free Church
The protest comes on the heels of famed fashion designer, Hemant Trevedi, announcing that he will no longer use leather in his designs or direct Chennai’s annual International Leather Fair citing the immense cruelty to Indian animals used for leather in transport as the reason. Over forty major companies including Gucci, Reebok, Nike, Kenneth Cole, Debenhams, Next, H&M and others have publicly pledged that they will not purchase Indian sourced leather until conditions in transport and slaughter for the cattle, goats and other animals used by the leather trade drastically improve. As a result, the loss to the leather industry is estimated to be over $40 million.
Recently, musicians Ravi and Anoushka Shankar starred in a PSA encouraging officials to update the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and asking that penalties for animal cruelty be strengthened. Over two dozen Indian celebrities such as Juhi Chawla, Om Puri, Jackie Shroff and others have also signed a petition urging for the same. Sir Paul McCartney, Pamela Anderson, Dalai Lama, Jackie Chan, Steven Seagal, Chrissie Hynde and other celebrities have also spoken out against the torture of Indian animals in transport.
PETA India Chief Functionary Anuradha Sawhney says, ‘It is high time the government opened its eyes and ears to the animals’ cries and to the pleas of its citizens by passing legislation that would update penalties for animal cruelty and stop unimaginable horror in transport.’
Photographs and broadcast quality video footage on the plight of India’s animals in transport are available upon request.
