For one more country, circus acts involving cruel and demeaning animal performances have come to an end.
Finally, after years of work from animal rights activists, India has banned the use of exotic animals in circuses. While the use of elephants in circus performances is already prohibited due to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, it is now illegal to exploit any wild animal for the sake of entertainment and financial greed.
In recent months, the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) granted the cancellation of any circus in India that involves the performance and training of any animal. According to India Today, “the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of the MoEFCC made this decision following year-long inspections and monitoring by officials in which extreme cruelty to animals was reported,” said India Today. After the inspections began, the horror of using animals for entertainment reared its ugly truth, and many of the animals found were suffering emotionally as well as physically.
These investigations revealed disturbing evidence of animal abuse — and specifically, cruelty towards elephants. The Central Zoo Authority’s latest evaluation found that the animals were not only deprived of decent space and waste management, making the conditions almost unlivable, but that many of the circus animals were stressed, ill and lacking medical treatment or any adequate care at all. One elephant in the investigation struggled to even move due to severe injuries.
After witnessing the distressing conditions in which the animals were kept and the obvious suffering they were forced to endure, the CZA made the commendable decision to cancel the registration of seven circus operators. “All the circuses evaluated were found violating the norms,” reports India Today.
During an interview conducted by Mail Today, DN Singh, the CZA member secretary, confirmed that not one circus in India is recognised by the body due to the extreme animal abuse. Circus animals suffer the loneliness, boredom and depression of being “locked in cramped cages [and] chained up for months as they move from city to city.”
The recent cancellation order addresses that despite the ample time circus owners had been granted to improve the living conditions for their animals, they have failed to do so. However, when confronted, circus owners responded that the elephants are now used for ‘educational’ purposes only.
“The probe showed that animals were being maintained in circuses in cruel conditions and were tortured to extract performances,” said Singh. “Some of the owners of circuses even submitted morphed photographs to us in a bid to claim that animals were kept well.”
Singh also stated that the digital media they received will now be used as evidence of violations discovered and will help shut down many of the zoos guilty of abuse and neglect.
Hopefully, with India’s new ban on the use of circus animals, other countries will follow in their footsteps and continue to prioritise the welfare and wellbeing of animals over human profit.
Well done India! Let’s hope all the countries around our world follow suit!
This really is heartening news.
Its about time!
Glad to hear that is great news and now since they can’t use the elephants next question what are they doing with the elephants are they going to a sanctuary so they can have a happy ending to their long and miserable lives.
thank you so much
This is so wonderful to hear. I’m sure endless work has gone into this and the result shows this. I always thought the elephant was loved in India so was really shocked to hear the way elephants was being used in circuses. I hope too other countries will follow in their footsteps. Please end all cruelty to animals
OMG YIPEEEEE IS ALL I CAN SAY. COME ON WORLD, FOLLOW SUIT
OMG YIPEEEEE IS ALL I CAN SAY
This is incredible news. I am smiling ear to ear. Come on, rest of the world. Don’t led India get ahead of you. Move on this.
Of course the ban is great news but how well will it be enforced? India is notorious for their horrendous treatment of elephants and, I imagine, all animals. Not to mention women. Here’s hoping the authorities will be diligent and tenacious in protecting all animals involved and will not hesitate to charge and prosecute offenders to the fullest.
Thank you Soo much India for this great amazing news so happy for all Creatures that don’t have to perform in them HORRIBLE CIRCUSES will keep signing all petition that has to do with Animal ABUSERS,
SO HAPPY THEY STOPPED !!????
My fear now is that these immoral circus crooks will continue to state that the animals are there for education and display, rather than doing tricks. They are not forbidding and cancelling circuses with ‘performance and training’ of animals. Is this enough?!
That should have read ‘only’ cancelling, rather than ‘not’
That should have read ‘only’ cancelling, rather than ‘not’
THANK you so much for realizing the cruelty circuses impose on innocent animals –if humans want to do circus acts then by all means do so –the key words are want and willing
THANK YOU INDIA!!!!!!! GOD BLESS YOU FOR THIS INTELLIGENT DECISION. NOW IF ONLY CANADA AND THE US WOULD FOLLOW THROUGH AS WELL. INCREDIBLE THAT A DEVELOPING NATION WOULD BE SO MANY STEPS AHEAD A DEVELOPED NATION. NO EXCUSE FOR THIS… WE MUST ENCOURAGE NORTH AMERICA TO FOLLOW IN INDIA’S STEPS.
All good to you India! Now stop the infiltration of the dog and cat meat trade from other Asian countries. Thanks for your caring.
Thanku India and the CZA. I hope other countries will follow your example and do what is right by these majestic animals.
Thank God! My heart aches for these creatures and I am so glad to see progress. But we can not stop. Keep the petitions coming!
Finally. So glad. Thank you everyone for all your hard work and not giving up.
Hope the rest of the world will follow India’s example.
Way to go India, now let’s hope other’s will follow your lead.
I hope this lasts?and no loophole will be found.
I,M SO HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW. COOKIE
YES!!!! THANK YOU!!!