PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has issued a request to rockers Alice In Chains to make a temporary change of their name to Betty In Chains, to help raise awareness for what they call the “world’s most depressed elephant.”
The animal rights nonprofit organization is currently attempting to rescue a 56-year-old disabled elephant named Betty, who is said to performing nearly 300 circus shows each year and is at risk of a “catastrophic and likely fatal collapse in the near future” if she does not receive the care she needs.
In an open letter written to the grunge veterans, PETA detailed Betty's poor health asking them to consider altering their "iconic name" to help spread the word about Betty. The letter reads:
Dear Jerry, Sean, Mike, and William,
Coming to you with a wonderfully strange request from us at PETA. Would Alice in Chains be willing to go by Betty in Chains across social media — for a month — to spotlight a dear elephant who literally spends her life in chains?
In a nutshell, we’re turning up the volume on our efforts to rescue an elderly, disabled elephant named Betty, who is being forced to perform in roughly 300 circuses each year. Betty’s over 56 years old, was taken as a baby from Thailand, and has been used in circuses for more than five decades. An elephant expert who recently examined Betty warns that she faces a fatal collapse if not immediately retired to a reputable sanctuary.
By lending (a version of) your iconic name, you could set the stage for freedom, amplify her story to millions, and change the course of history for all animals used in circuses.
Will you help us show the world that Betty’s not fighting this battle alone?
Let’s make some noise,
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Adds PETA Senior Vice President of Communications Lisa Lange, “By the time grunge swept Seattle, Betty had already spent nearly twenty years suffering as a circus prop, and every day that passes with her being hauled from town to town and forced to perform brings her closer to the brink of death. PETA is encouraging Alice in Chains to get loud for Betty with a temporary name change that reminds everyone to Stay Away from animal-abusing circuses.”
More information about Betty can be found here.