PETA Circuses India

8/8/2019 PETA Circuses India

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Circuses: No Fun for Animals

But for the use of physical punishment by, and fear of, their oppressors , animals would never be a part of a c ircus. -Richard Pryor, American a ctor and

comedian

Animals forced to travel an d pe rform with circuses lea d lives o f misery. Unlike the human a rtists, the animals do not choo se to spen d their time

in this way. Their handlers make them do what they would never normally do through the use of fear, pain and hunger. When animals are not

performing, they are confined to cages barely larger than their own bodies. When they become ill, they rarely rec eive proper veterinary care

not one circus in India has a veterinarian travelling with it.

Life in a Trave lling Circus

In their natural homes, animals spe nd much of their time travelling , hunting or foragi ng for food, taking care of their

young and sp endi ng time with members of their families. All this is deni ed them in circuses. Instead of be ing in

charge of their own movement, they are chained and caged for most of the day and night. Their only exercise is

during training sessions and performances, when they are intimidated into doing acts that are unnatural to them.

Chimpanze es are forced to ride bicycles, bears are made to dance, elephants are made to stand on their heads

and tigers are frightened into ju mping through flaming h oops.

When the show is over, the animals are shoved back into their cages or shackled, loaded onto lorries and taken to

the next town. There is ne ver a brea k from the end less travel.

Humane organisations investigating circuses have found that trainers starve and beat animals to make them do what theywant. Whips and electric shock prods a re used to keep an imals under control. Bears may have their noses broken or their

paws burn ed to force them to stand u p on thei r back legs. Trainers sometimes starve animals for days before a p erformance

to make them willing to work for food. The animals go from fear and pa in durin g performances an d training to the

excruciating boredom of their cages. This terrible pattern causes neurotic behaviour patterns, such as endless pacing, self-

mutilation and constant rocking.

Cruelt y t o Animals in Indian Circuses

For more on animal

experimentation,

please read PETA's

Factsheets.

Zoos and Aquaria:

Deat htraps, Not

Sanctuaries

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Rajkamal Circus, Bangalore : According to Peopl e for Animals Bang alore, in 20 02, animals were found crammed

inside rusted cages, filthy with their own waste. One lion was missing an eye, and several animals had untreated

wounds.

Grand National Circus: In 2002, PETA India in spectors found that animals were kep t in small cages with no

space to move around. Four lion cubs were all crammed into a small cage. Elephants were driven mad by being

constantly chained. None of the animals had access to food or water.

The Empire Circus: In 200 2, it travelled with 10 tigers, 10 lions and a Himalayan be ar in viola tion of the Supreme

Court ruling banning the Circus Federation of India from using lions, tigers, panthers, bears and monkeys in their

shows. Elepha nts were forced to spend a ll their time shackled by three feet; horses were kep t tied with short ropesand unable to move freely; dogs lived miserably in tiny cages and cockatoos were kept in small cages without even

a pe rch so that they were forced to cling to the sid es of the cag e. PETA India filed a report on all this cruelty with the

Animal Welfare Boa rd of India immediately.

Kohinoor Circus : In 2002, animals were found with injuries from transport in cramped, unsafe cages, and there were endangered

animals, including a pregna nt Royal Bengal tiger, in violation o f a Supreme Court ruling that bans the exhibition and training of

endange red animals.

Great Royal Circus: Of this circuss four chimpa nze es, rangin g in a ge from 10 to 43 years, who were

forced to travel and p erform, two were found this year to be suffering from injuries an d illness. One

chimpanzee, 22-year- old Lakshmi could not sit or stand an d was discovered lying in a bloodstained

bed. After she was rescued by Blue Cross Chennai and People for Animals Chennai, a veterinary exam

showed that she was paralyzed. She died soon after.

Gemini Circus: In 200 2, this circus kept horses, camels and ele phan ts from moving b y tying their hind

legs. Dogs were made to live in cramped wooden enclosures, and all the cages a nd food d ishes were

filthy.

Jumbo Circus: Inspectors found a chained chimpanzee frantically pulling and jerking to e scape, a hippopotamus with diseased eyes

and Indian parrots kept without proper ownership certificates.

Laws Not Enforced

There are l aws design ed to protect animals in circuses, includ ing the Preve ntion of Cruelty to Animals Act of

1960 (PCA Act), the Pe rforming Animals (Reg istration) Rules of 20 01 un der the PCA Act, the Wild LifeProtection Act of 1972 (WLPA) (as amende d i n 199 1), the Internationa l C.I.T.E.S. (Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species) treaty that protects enda ngered a nimals and provisions und er

the Indian co nstitution. But the laws are rare ly enforced. Officials look the other way when circuses come to

town.

The former union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Maneka Gandhi, banned the use of bears, monkeys, tigers, lions and panthers

in circuses in October 1998. Still, most circuses in India disregard this law. Some circuses refuse to give up the banned animals and demand

financial compensation even though they are breaking the law.

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Humane organisations and individuals can force officials to enforce the laws. PETA has filed cruelty and neglect charges against circuses and

has rescue d 18 lions, 10 tigers and a lig er (lion/tiger cross) from the Grand National Circus and the Empire Circus. Follow the links to lea rn

more.

Circuses Hurt People, Too

Every year, animals in circuse s all over the world sna p from the stress and p ain of their lives an d attack their handle rs and members of the

audience.

In January 2 002, in Nallasopora, a tiger in the Grand National Circus slapped a small child with his

paws. The circus had set up the cages housing lions and tigers in an ope n area used as a playground

by children living ne arby.

In March 2 001, in Kamarkundu , a tiger maule d a worker at the Olympic Circus while the an imal was

being forced to jump through a fireball soon after the show began .

In December 2000, in West Bengal, a tiger trainer was mauled to death by three tigers during an act

that required nine tigers to jump over her and then pass through a ring.

It is impossible for circuses to keep these animals in such a way that completely protects the audience and trainers.

You Can Help

Never pa y to see a circus with animals.

Write a letter to the edi tor of your local newspa pers, detailing the cruelty as well as the laws that are

being violated. Call your local television stations and ask them to air messages about cruelty at the

circus.

Write to the following p olicy-makers to en force the ban o n the use o f bears, monkeys, tigers, lions and

pan thers, to ensu re that all the rules of the PCA are followed a nd to stop animals from

a. The Min ister, Ministry of Environment And Fore sts, Paryavaran Bha wan, CGO Complex, Lodi Roa d,

New Delhi 110 00 3

b . The Animal Welfare Board of India, Post Box No.8672, Third Se award Road , Valmiki Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chenna i 600 041; 044-

4454935, 4454958

c. The State Wild Life Departments

d . The Indian Circus Federation, WB 83/C Shalimar Bag h, Delhi

e . The Member Se cretary, Central Zo o Authority, Bikane r House, Shahj ahan Road, New Delhi 110 003

If you lea rn that an animal circus is coming to you r area, contact city officials and the media and a sk that the sho ws be cancelle d.

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Find ou t if bann ed an imals (lions, tigers, panthers, bears) are kep t by the circus. PETA can gu ide you abou t what actions to take.

Organise a d emonstration to educate circus- goers ab out how animals are treated beh ind the scene s. PETA can supp ly posters, leaflets and

video footage to show on a TV screen outside the venue and to give to the media.

Click here for a checklist of what to look for when a circus comes to you r town.

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PETA Circuses India