Kerala temples get offers for mechanical elephants from PETA  

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India is sending letters to the temples and mosques, offering to donate lifelike mechanical elephants on the condition that these institutions would send the distressed elephants to sanctuaries

Thiruvananthapuram: After a series of elephant attacks in Kerala left five people dead, many injured, and property damaged at temple and mosque festivals in a span of 10 days, an animal rights organisation is stepping in with a unique offer.

The organisation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, is sending letters to the affected temples and mosques, offering to donate lifelike mechanical elephants — on one condition.  The institutions must agree to send the distressed elephants to sanctuaries where they can live freely, without chains or weapons, and among their own kind. They must also pledge never to use real elephants again.

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In these letters, PETA India notes that using real elephants in festivals and processions causes these animals severe physical and psychological stress from loud music, traffic, firecrackers and other commotion. The animals become upset from being controlled through painful and restrictive methods, such as chains and beatings.

According to PETA India, since February 4, several elephants have turned violent at temple and mosque events in Kerala, causing chaos and tragedy. One elephant killed a man in Thrissur, while another trampled its mahout to death in Palakkad, destroying shops and vehicles. Other incidents include elephants charging through crowds, creating panic, and even falling into a well during festivals. In one case, two elephants got scared by firecrackers, started fighting, and caused a stampede that killed three people and injured many others.