Animal rights group PETA have urged Alice In Chains to change their name to Betty In Chains to help free a circus elephant.
Just weeks after they made a similar plea for Robert Plant to be renamed ‘Robert Plant Wool’, they have written a personal letter to the grunge legends to implore them to temporarily switch their name in an effort to save an elephant that is being used in a touring circus.
They have said the 56-year-old Betty is being “forced to perform” in the circus for 300 shows a year and is in danger of a fatal collapse if she is not released to a welfare sanctuary.
“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?” they wrote.
“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.”
They concluded: “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?”
A PETA statement has said that Betty “appears withdrawn and unresponsive, frequently standing still with her eyes closed and her trunk on the ground”.
NME have contacted Alice In Chains for a response, but they declined to comment.
Last month, PETA reached out to the Led Zeppelin frontman to urge him to change his name short-term to ‘Robert Plant Wool’ in connection with Plant Wool Month, a campaign to raise awareness for plant alternatives to sheep’s wool.
“PETA is asking Robert Plant to sing the praises of plant wool with a temporary name change that reminds everyone that nothing compares to soft, natural, and eco-friendly plant wool,” they said.
In other Alice In Chains news, they were forced to cancel a show in Connecticut in May after a “medical emergency” for drummer Sean Kinney. He later shared an update with fans, thanking fans for their understanding and assuring them that he is “going to be fine”.
In February, the band’s frontman Jerry Cantrell performed ‘Hate To Feel’ live for the first time in over 30 years during his solo tour.
