“We are a group of dedicated volunteers united by our passion for protecting and advocating for animal rights. Our journey is driven by the belief that every animal deserves to live free from suffering and exploitation. Recently, we learned about Roopavathi,an elephant from Karnataka in a dire situation. Roopavathi was in poor health and facing the prospect of being transferred to Telangana for the Bonalu and Muharram processions, where she would be subjected to further suffering.
Roopavathi, an elephant from Karnataka 
The reports from veterinary experts were heart-wrenching: Roopavathi was unfit for transportation and participation in events. She showed signs of arthritis in her forelimbs, was partially blind in one eye, and had flattened foot pads that caused her pain and increased her risk of slipping on city roads. Determined to prevent Roopavathi from enduring further suffering, our team at PETA India sprang into action. We reached out to various authorities, including the Minister for Forest and Environment for Telangana, the principal secretary of environment and forest, the Telangana Waqf Board, and H.E.H. The Nizam’s Religious Trust. We proposed an innovative solution that could honor the cultural heritage and traditions of the processions: a life-size mechanical elephant.
Mechanical Elephant
This mechanical elephant, with its realistic appearance, could effectively replicate the experience of using a real animal in the processions. It could shake its head, move its ears, swish its tail, and lift its trunk, offering a humane and safe alternative for religious institutions. Our previous successes with similar donations to temples across Kerala and Karnataka, such as Irinjadappilly Raman and Mahadevan, demonstrated the viability of this solution.
Our proposal was about more than just protecting Roopavathi; it was also about ensuring human safety and well-being. Live elephants, when subjected to extreme physical and psychological stress, can become violent, posing a risk to everyone around them. By using a mechanical elephant, we could preserve the cultural heritage and traditions of Bonalu and Muharram while also allowing elephants to live with dignity and ensuring human safety.
At PETA India, our mission is rooted in the belief that animals are not ours to use for entertainment. We are making strides in ensuring that traditions can be preserved without causing harm to animals. By offering Roopavathi a chance for rehabilitation in a sanctuary and proposing the use of a mechanical elephant, we are taking a step forward in creating a more compassionate world.”