Image of an abused elephant on PETA’s billboards in Augusta, Georgia.

Leading international animal rights organizations are demanding that UK director Danny Boyle provide details on the use of animals for the opening ceremony at the London Olympics 2012 this weekend.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has led that charge. They have accused Boyle of breaking his previous promise that animals used at the opening ceremony would not face future stress.

Campaingers at PETA said in a statement that the animals on display at the opening in London would continue to work in the entertainment industry. Boyle had promised animal rights organizations that they would be sent to animal sanctuaries after the ceremony.

PETA said that the revelations is at odds with Danny Boyle’s assurances that he would “vigorously” seek o retre the animal performers to sanctuaries.

The Slumdog Millionaire director revealed last month that over 100 farmyard animals would be part of the scenes in the ceremony on Friday.

The cast will include 12 horses, three cows, two goats, 10 chickens, 10 ducks, 9 geese, 70 sheep and three sheepdogs, all appearing at the Olympic Stadium.

In a letter to the Captive Animals Protection Society, the Olympics committee’s director of ceremonies Bill Morris said they will return to “future roles in movies and theater.”

He said: “Because the animals come from a specialist supplier we understand that none of them are intended for the food chain.

“Indeed it is expected that they will return to natural surroundings and any future roles in movies and theatre.”

PETA has said it is “livid” that the animals will spend the rest of their lives being hired out for film and theatre productions, which is “highly stressful for them.”

A spokesman said: “PETA is livid at the London 2012 Organizing Committee’s new revelation that the animals used as props in this Friday’s Olympics opening ceremony will continue to be used by the entertainment industry after the event and ultimately face an uncertain fate.

“This is contrary to a personal assurance from Danny Boyle that he would ‘vigorously’ look into sanctuaries to retire them to.

“Far from the fictional scene of free-living animals on lush green pastures that these animals will be involuntarily portraying in the opening ceremony, they are, in reality, to spend the rest of their lives being hired out for film and theater productions for humans’ financial gain.

“This is highly stressful to prey animal species like geese, chickens, cows, and sheep.

“It is rare indeed that any farmed animals exploited for entertainment enjoy a happy ending once their performing days are over, with most ending up on the chopping block.”

Animals in the entertainment industry face massive hardships, stress and are even reportedly tortured in order to perform as their human overseeing their activists want.

International animal rights organizations, including PETA, have detailed the abuse of animals within the entertainment industry and have called for an end to animals being used.

BM