(IN): Help Suffering Elephants Get the Home they Deserve

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Original Message source: Wildlife SOS,

 

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Link: http://wildlifesos.com/Donation/donationhome.htm

 

May 5, 2007

 

*We know that elephants can think and feel pain! These gentle, emotional and

highly intelligent creatures of the forests are not designed to live in city

slums and walk all day long on the scorching tarmac.*

 

Yet this is precisely the *tragedy that has befallen about 35 elephants in

the capital of India, Delhi.* The Trans-Yamuna area is a narrow strip of

land along the Yamuna river which has been the home of these elephants and

their mahouts (trainers) for years. But now, *in preparation for the

Commonwealth Games that will be hosted in Delhi in 2010, the Trans-Yamuna

area has been cleared for construction, and the elephants have been left

homeless!

 

**You can change their fate by making a donation today. Together, we can

give these elephants a safe place to call

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ifesos.com%252FDonation%252Fdonationhome.htm>

 

*Many of these elephants have stories similar to Lakshmi. Now 44 years old,

Lakshmi has endured most of her life living in one of the most polluted and

populated cities in the world. *Although she was born wild and free, a cruel

change in fate resulted in Lakshmi being caught, separated from her mother,

auctioned for a pittance and then domesticated using inhumane methods. For

decades now, Lakshmi has suffered silently as a decorative prop at events

throughout Delhi.* She has been used in marriage ceremonies, temple

functions, and to carry billboards advertising toothpaste and detergents.

 

When most people see Lakshmi, they see an elephant that is finely adorned,

not a creature needing pity and help. *They are unaware of the hours she

spends with her legs in chains and are oblivious to the infections, burns

and blisters on her feet, the wounds covered by a cloth. *

 

Although most of Lakshmi's life has been misery, *until recently she was

allowed the one reprieve of frolicking in the Yamuna river. This activity

gave her a much needed respite from the heat and from the pain of her

wounds. Sadly, Lakshmi no longer gets to enjoy this small bit of pleasure.

Since she and the other elephants have been evacuated, they no longer have

access to the river. *

 

Without your help, Wildlife SOS is concerned that elephants like Lakshmi

needing rest and treatment will be sold to elephant traders in neighboring

states where they will spend their remaining days miserably, either tied to

trees or forced to carry tourists around on their painful feet.

 

Help Wildlife SOS rescue Lakshmi and the other elephants like her. Let's

give them the retirement they deserve. *With your help we can start a Rescue

Center for Captive Elephants on the banks of the Yamuna river.* We need to

raise $100,000 (50 lakh) in order to start the creation of their new home.

 

*Please make a donation today, so the elephants can have a better

tomorrow.<http://bommail.ndtv.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://rs6.net/tn.js\

p?t=ejogr4bab.0.kyhxgwbab.9xbc5qbab.4662%26ts=S0248%26p=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.w\

ildlifesos.com%252FDonation%252Fdonationhome.htm>

*

 

* We appreciate sincerely any amount you can contribute.*

 

Bear Hugs

 

Kartick Satyanarayan and Geeta Seshamani