Finally, There's Hope For Circus Animals As Court Orders Survey, Rehabilitation For Them

Performing animals have been an integral part of circus as long as the art form has existed. While the viewers get thrilled and entertained watching these animals pull off seemingly impossible stunts, they do not share the same enthusiasm as the spectators.

That is because the animals perform the act out of fear of the whip in the hands of their trainer.

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Even outside the circus ring, they live and are trained in poor conditions.

While these have been happening for years, this year, the animals are in a particularly poor state due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has halted all circus performances.

With no income and expenses mounting every passing day, many circus companies are finding it difficult to keep and maintain their animals.

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Earlier this week, the High Court issued a notice directing Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to carry out a survey and submit a status report basis the query as to whether the animals can be kept by the circuses during the course of the pandemic.

If they are unable to do that, then an independent procedure will be undertaken by AWBI with details such as the number of animals in need of rehabilitation and thereafter to rescue these animals, making arrangements for their rehabilitation.

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The notice was issued in a petition filed by the Federation for Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) seeking rescue of animals in circuses due to COVID-19 pandemic and challenging Sections 21 to 27 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 to the extent that they permit exhibition and training of animals in/ for/ in relation to circuses acts.

"Using animals for performing tricks in circuses is abusive and painful for animals. These animals are suppressed from performing their fundamental rights like freedom from fear and distress or freedom from expressing normal patterns of behavior. Moreover, in the midst of the pandemic the situation has become worse. Therefore, the use of animals in circuses needs to end and they must be rescued at the earliest," Varda Mehrotra, FIAPO Executive Director, said.

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The petition alleged that circuses with animals performing tricks often use wild animals, including elephants, hippos, and exotic birds. Animals are very often used without requisite paperwork certifying their fitness. Investigations show animals being chained and tied up for several hours each day, made to perform several shows without proper rest, trained using negative reinforcement with instruments like metal rods, wooden sticks, whips and outdated and barbaric tools like hooks and spiked belts.

In India, currently, all animals except for lions, leopards, tigers, bears, and monkeys are allowed to be used as performance animals.

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"In 2001 the government issued a notification banning the use of these five animals as performance animals. Since then there has been no other policy of the government to ban the use of other animals in circuses. FIAPO has been campaigning to ban the use of all animals in circuses for 6-7 years," Mehrotra said.

"In 2018 there was a draft notification by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, banning the use of all animals in circuses. But after the portfolio changed to the Ministry of Animal Husbandry. Since then there has no decision on it," she added.