Bollywood actor John Abraham has been made the first honorary director of PETA India, as the organization reached its 25th anniversary milestone. Famous for his strong voice on animal rights, John has been an active campaigner himself, from campaigning to end live animal trading on e-retailer Quikr to demanding a countrywide ban on circus animal shows and stopping the illegal killing of pigs. He has also criticized the use of elephants in the Chitwan Festival and contributed his Kaun Banega Crorepati winnings to PETA India. In 2020, he was honored as PETA India’s Person of the Year.
Thanking him, John mentioned, “I’m grateful for this great privilege and now look forward to helping PETA India’s important work for the next 25 years. Ever since I helped PETA India first in 2000, I am strictly dedicated to animal welfare.
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PETA India Welcomes John Abraham’s Commitment
PETA India Vice President Sachin Bangera praised John’s commitment, saying, “John Abraham never misses an opportunity to speak up for animals: From fighting to shut down inhumane circus animal acts to saving a desi dog, John’s enormous star power is matched only by the enormity of his heart. PETA India is thrilled to declare John our first honorary director, and we invite everyone to follow his lead by speaking up whenever they witness animals in distress.”
John joins an elite roll of honorary directors of PETA globally, along with Pamela Anderson, James Cromwell, and Anjelica Huston.
PETA India’s Resounding Protest in Mumbai
In the meantime, PETA India organized a compelling protest in Bandra, Mumbai, where its co-founder, Ingrid Newkirk, was made to look like she was gruesomely “skinned alive” by a butcher. The protest was intended to make people aware of the cruelty inflicted upon animals used for leather. A large banner with a slaughterhouse setting and reading “Relate to Their Fate” served as the protest backdrop and asked people to change their decisions.
Talking about the reason, Newkirk reiterated, “Each leather bag and shoe is crafted from the skin of a person who loved their family, cherished their life, and didn’t wish to die. PETA India urges all consumers to buy only products made from gorgeous vegan material.
The Dark Reality of the Leather Industry
PETA India exposed the atrocities of the leather industry, where cows and buffaloes—social and intelligent creatures—are cruelly packed into jam-packed vehicles, often resulting in broken bones. Furthermore, the survivors of this inhuman transport are brutally slaughtered in front of other animals, sometimes even skinned alive. Additionally, the poisonous run-off from tanneries used to process leather contaminates water bodies, thereby posing serious health hazards, such as cancer and respiratory disorders.
