Animal Rights Group Gifts Indian Bull as Wedding Gift to UK Royal Couple

Animal rights body PETA will gift an Indian bull to Prince Harry and his fiance American actor Meghan Markle, the soon-to-be married royal couple of the United Kingdom, on the occasion of their wedding on May 19, PTI reported.

The bull named Merry (named after Meghan and Harry), who lives in a sanctuary in Maharashtra, was rescued from a lifetime of pulling heavy carts by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). While Merry won’t be making a trip to the United Kingdom to its new owners, a framed photograph with an ornate adoption certificate would be sent to the couple.

Rescuing Merry is the ideal wedding present for a couple who want their day celebrated with charitable works and contributions, according to PETA. While the royal couple is sure to receive a wide variety of wedding gifts, theirs may be the most unique, the organization said .

“An Indian bull who was found weak and injured, likely after a lifetime of being forced to toil in the hot sun pulling a heavy cart, has been adopted by the group on behalf of the happy couple and named Merry – a hybrid of the names Meghan and Harry – in their honor. He (bull) will spend the rest of his days relaxing in peace at a sanctuary in Maharashtra, India,” PETA said in a statement, adding that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, a known animal lover, will now have a one-ton bull to call their own.

“The royal wedding is the perfect time for anyone to spare a thought for and show some love to all our fellow living beings,” PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement.

According to PETA India, Merry was found with a deep wound on its neck. Now that the wound has been treated and is completely healed, it has found a best friend in another rescued bullock named Barshya.

“Meghan cares about animals and refuses to wear fur, so it seems fitting that her joyous occasion would coincide with the joy that this bull is now experiencing, thanks to his newfound freedom at the sanctuary,” Sachin Bangera, associate director of celebrity and public relations, PETA India, said.

While the Kensington Palace officials have not made any statement about the unusual gift for Meghan, they have asked anyone who wished to mark the royal couple’s wedding by making donation to select charities, Express.co.uk reported. “The couple have chosen charities which represent a range of issues that they are passionate about, including sport for social change, women’s empowerment, conservation, the environment, homelessness, HIV and the Armed Forces,” said an official. “Prince Harry and Ms. Markle do not have any formal relationships with the charities chosen. Many of these are small charities, and the couple are pleased to be able to amplify and shine a light on their work.”

The charities include CHIVA (Children’s HIV Association); Crisis, a national charity for homeless people; Myna Mahila Foundation, a charity which empowers women in Mumbai’s urban slums; Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity for bereaved Armed Forces children; StreetGames, which uses sport to change lives across the UK; Surfers Against Sewage, a national marine conservation and campaigning charity; and the Wilderness Foundation UK, which promotes the benefits and enjoyment of wild nature.