On behalf of PETA India, previous Bigg Boss guest and former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson sent an urgent letter to Mr Vinay Kore, a member of the legislative assembly of Maharashtra state and a leader of Jan Surajya Shakti Party, calling on him to use his influence and good heart to ensure that the physically abused 13-year-old elephant, named Sunder, who has been kept in chains at Jyotiba Temple, is immediately taken to a sanctuary.

"He is the age of one of my sons, and as sensitive as anyone's child. Like other victims of abuse, he will be scarred for life mentally, as he already is physically", writes Anderson, who notes that elephants are precious creatures of God and that it is a crime against heaven that he has been treated in this manner. "From the bottom of my heart, I appeal to you to see that Sunder is taken to a safe place where he can be helped to overcome his long and miserable ordeal and allowed to one day be part of a new family."

Anderson's plea follows PETA's discovery that Sunder was being abused by his mahout (or handler). The elephant has suffered a severe injury to his right eye through the mahout's use of an ankus (a sharp iron hook-like weapon), is confined to chains with sharp spikes and is kept in a dark shed, where he cannot take even a single step in any direction. Sunder is denied adequate food and water and also walks, which are crucial for his mental and physical well-being. In addition, there are lesions all over his body, indicating past cruel treatments by the mahout. The elephant was donated to the temple by Mr Vinay Kore.

A scandal continues to grow over the way that elephants used in temples are typically kept. They are routinely chained and rarely receive enough food or water, and most of them never see a veterinarian, even when they are injured or ill. Elephants at temples also show signs of severe psychological distress, such as swaying, head-bobbing and weaving – behaviour that is not found in healthy elephants in the wild.

Join PETA India in calling for Sunder to be released.

When Pamela Anderson came to India to appear as a guest on Bigg Boss 4, her heart was captured by the plight of the homeless dogs she saw on the streets. So when Anderson, an honorary director of PETA US, learned that PETA India Chief Functionary Poorva Joshipura was headed to the States to meet with her overseas colleagues and to visit her family, the Baywatch star asked if Joshipura would take along a homeless Indian puppy. Anderson has decided to name her new family member Pyari, or "Loved One". The puppy was rescued from a construction site in Mumbai.

"I'm tickled to be able to give Pyari a loving home", says Anderson. "I already have rescued dogs, and I urge everyone to join me in adopting a homeless desi dog from their local animal shelter or the streets instead of buying a so-called 'purebred'. Desi dogs are stars: add love and they become healthy and beautiful and will love and protect you always."

Every time someone buys a dog from a breeder or a pet shop, a dog on the streets or in an animal shelter loses his or her chance at finding a good home. What's more, "pedigree" dogs have been purposefully bred for certain exaggerated physical traits, making them susceptible to abnormally high rates of health problems, including hip dysplasia, heart defects, epilepsy and eye and ear infections. These painful defects can prevent proper breathing, walking and more. Indian community dogs are hardy and resilient and are not predisposed to health problems.

Join Pammy in helping end the homeless dog crisis by taking the pledge to adopt, and never buy.

Pamela Anderson stole our hearts when she danced to "Dhak Dhak Karne Laga" on Bigg Boss Season 4. But now she's asking the director of AIIMS to have a heart for the animals imprisoned at its Central Animal Facility.

After watching footage from our undercover investigation showing monkeys at AIIMS languishing in barren, rusty cages; rats and monkeys exhibiting signs of severe stress; and sick and injured animals who were denied veterinary care, Pamela fired off a letter to AIIMS' director urging him to retire the aging monkeys to a sanctuary and switch to modern, humane non-animal research and training methods.

"It broke my heart to see the suffering that is documented in the enclosed video", writes Anderson. "But the animals suffering behind closed doors at AIIMS must endure this nightmare every day. I was shocked to see that rabbits are forced to live in wire-floored cages; the sharp wire digs into their sensitive footpads and can cause their feet to become stuck."

Please join Pam in taking action for animals suffering at AIIMS. They are counting on you!