Ajanta Circus Animals Seized Following PETA India Complaint, Police File FIR
For Immediate Release:
22 October 2022
Contact:
Hiraj Laljani; [email protected]
Sanskriti Bansore; [email protected]
Ranchi – After receiving a complaint from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India against Ajanta Circus for using animals for performances without a performing animals registration certificate and for cruelty to animals, including cutting the wings of birds to prevent them from flying away, Ranchi police raided the circus, seized several animals, and registered a first information report against the proprietor. The animals seized in the raid – three adult spitz dogs, three puppies, and a brown stallion – are being examined for health issues and will be rehabilitated by PETA India. However, the birds who were seen performing during PETA India’s eyewitness investigation had apparently been spirited away and were not found during the raid.
Photos of PETA India’s eyewitness investigation evidencing illegal use of animals by Ajanta Circus and photos of the police raid and seizure of animals are available upon request.
“PETA India commends Ranchi police and the office of the district magistrate for taking immediate action to save animals from Ajanta Circus, where they were deprived of everything natural and important to them and forced to perform tricks,” says PETA India Deputy Director of Advocacy Projects Harshil Maheshwari. “We urge families to condemn cruel animal circuses and support only non-animal forms of entertainment.”
Ajanta Circus is a repeat offender, as it used animals illegally earlier in Kolkata. Recently, on 19 October, the central government body the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) issued additional directions against the circus for violations of the Performing Animal (Registration) Rules, 2001.
Several AWBI inspections and numerous investigations by PETA India prove that circuses using animals are inherently cruel: in them, animals are continuously chained or confined to small, barren cages; deprived of veterinary care and adequate food, water, and shelter; and denied everything that’s natural and important to them. They’re forced to perform confusing, uncomfortable, and even painful tricks under threat of physical abuse with weapons. Many display stereotypic, repetitive behaviour indicative of extreme stress.
PETA India – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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