 Hema Malini never misses an opportunity to speak out for animals and for repeatedly raising her voice to oppose cruelty to animals, has been named Person of the Year by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India.
Poorva Joshipura, PETA India's chief functionary said, "Hema is the embodiment of the kindness and determination to effect the positive social change that PETA India stands for. She is loved and respected throughout India and beyond, and she has used her prestige time and time again to speak up for all the animals whose abuse and oppression might otherwise go unnoticed."
Hema Malini's work for animal rights includes writing a heartfelt appeal this year to the Ministry of Environment and Forests on behalf of PETA India, urging them to ban jallikattu (bull fighting). Soon after this, the said Ministry issued a notification in The Gazette of India stating that bulls can no longer be used as 'performing' animals. Not just that, she had also written a letter on behalf of PETA India, asking that cruel and dangerous horse carts to be banned in Mumbai. In November, the Mumbai High Court came to a landmark decision to crack down on unlicensed stables housing horses used to pull carriages.
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