Animal charity criticises Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas 'cruel' wedding

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas married in a three-day extravaganza in India over the weekend. And while their lavish wedding has been praised by many for its beauty and class, one animal charity has called out the nuptials for involving multiple animals in the ceremony.

It is traditional within many Indian cultures to use animals in wedding ceremonies, but PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) pointed out that oftentimes the animals rented for such occasions are maltreated and trained under cruel conditions.

Chopra and Jonas are believed to have used several horses and elephants during the ceremony, which were supposedly both ridden and laden with what appears to be heavy fabrics and decorations.

In an official statement PETA India’s CEO Manilal Valliyate writes that the wedding is promoting ‘cruelty to animals.’

“Priyanka was ill served by not being advised of the firestorm that would be caused by participating in animal abuse.

“It doesn’t make a person look big or glamorous to promote cruelty to animals who have no choice but to serve. It makes them look small,” Valliyate wrote.

While PETA India’s official Twitter published a separate statement. Directly tweeting the stars, the post includes a video that claims horses used in weddings are often ‘lame, dehydrated and malnourished.’

It also slammed the use of elephants for entertainment as they ‘live in chains’ and included a YouTube link that shows the cruelty that can exist within the tourist elephant riding trade.

A heavily painted elephant was also photoed in the lead up to the celebrity wedding, and is believed to have been ridden by Jonas as part of the three-day ceremony.

A further tweet has been posted by the animal charity that again argues that horses should never be used in wedding ceremonies.

36-year-old Chopra married 28-year-old Jonas in both a traditional Christian ceremony and a traditional Hindu wedding.

A star-studded affair, celebrity guests included the remainder of The Jonas Brothers and Sophie Turner.

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