The tragic elephant star who appeared on ‘Westworld’ has passed away, prompting the animal rights organization to call for an end to the use of captive animals in Hollywood.
AceShowbiz -PETA bosses are mourning the death of film star elephant Tai, hoping her passing will help them seek justice for other captive Hollywood creatures.
The “Water for Elephants” and “Westworld” star, who recently died, aged 53, spent most of her life in captivity after she was sold to Kari and Gary Johnson’s Have Trunk Will Travel elephant-for-hire company in 1978.
To mark her passing, PETA chiefs have released a video of Tai being “poked, prodded, and punished” by handlers behind the scenes, while claiming Westworld bosses “exploited a real elephant to depict a robot one” on TV in a scene that featured a computer-generated tiger.
Spokesman Moira Colley tells WENN, “For years, her handlers carted Tai and other elephants around the country, forcing them to perform tricks and give rides under the threat of violent punishment.”
“In lieu of flowers, readers are urged to call for an end to the use of real wild animals in Hollywood by sending emails, tweets, voicemails urging production companies never to use real wild animals.”
PETA officials have also mocked up an obituary for tragic Tai, which reads, “I died at the age of 53 after leading a miserable life that I never chose for myself. That’s Hollywood for animals like me… W.C. Fields said never to work with animals. Trust me, the feeling’s mutual.”
“I could’ve enjoyed living out my years with my family in nature, but instead I got a one-way ticket to a life of exploitation. Where was the Screen Actors Guild when I was being trucked to and from film sets, chained and standing in my own waste, or trucked around to state fairs when film jobs were scarce…? I was hoping someone would catch all this on camera, and they finally did, but it didn’t faze the industry. My suffering went ignored for years.”
Announcing her death online last week, Tai’s handlers wrote, “Tai, the love of our lives and heart of our family, has passed away. Tai died peacefully after a brief illness, surrounded by her elephant friends and people who loved her. As you can imagine, we are heartbroken. Tai has been a part of our family for over 45 years. She was the queen of napping and loved her spa treatments. Her grace, beauty and sweet personality made her a very special lady.”
“Meeting Tai opened a door to caring for so many. She was the premier ambassador for the endangered Asian Elephant. Tai touched the hearts of generations of elephant enthusiasts. She inspired those who met her to want to learn about, and contribute to, the conservation of elephants everywhere. We are eternally grateful for her contributions.”
“We kindly ask for respect and privacy as we grieve for Tai and navigate living without her in our daily lives.”
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