Mumbai calls for abolition of animals in circus

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-01/people/35483934_1_circus-animals-animal-rights-circus-camp

After promoting the cause of stray and abandoned animals, Mumbai is now gearing up to fight for the rights of circus animals across the country.

Members of an animal rights organisation protested outside a circus camp in Bandra on Friday. The protesters, chained and wearing masks of elephants, held signs that read, 'Abolish Slavery: Ban Animal Circuses'. According to the animal rights activists, all circus animals are treated like slaves. "Slavery of animals is akin to slavery of humans," says campaigner Abhishek Mudaliar, adding, "Animals in circuses across India are routinely chained and beaten. They are subjected to chronic confinement, physical abuse and psychological torment. Whips and other weapons like heavy steel-tipped rods are often used to inflict pain and beat them into submission. Animals and birds perform confusing, unnatural tricks — for example, parrots riding bicycles, standing on their heads or jumping through rings of fire.

They don't do it because they want to, but out of fear of violent punishment. It's high time the government banned the archaic use of animals in circuses. We're appealing to parents whose kids love animals to steer clear of circuses that use animals."

The central government has already banned the use of bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers, lions and bulls in performances. "We are calling on the Government of India to follow the lead ofBolivia and Greece, which have banned the use of all animals. Why must we have dogs or parrots in our circuses?" Abhishek added. Bollywood also feels strongly about the case. Here's what some of the stars said.

B-town's 'pet' cause:

Celina Jaitly: Circus animals are kept in horrendous conditions. Dogs are crammed into dirty cages and hardly ever let out. Birds are locked inside cramped cages, and their wings are clipped so that they cannot fly. They pay a heavy price for a fleeting moment of human amusement. Nature has enough for man's needs, not his greed. If you want to see animals perform, watch them at their best in a nature documentary.

Rahul Khanna: Most children naturally love animals and would never knowingly support anything that involve treating them cruelly. Circuses can and do exist only because of willing human adults.

Raveena Tandon Thadani: Animals in circuses lead a life of endless confinement, constant physical abuse and psychological torment. Animals are not natural performers like us. We are the entertainers, not them. They belong in their natural homes, not suffering under the Big Top.

Central Zoo Authority 's doublespeak on circus elephant to fore

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Central-Zoo-Authority-s-doublespeak-on-circus-elephant-to-fore/articleshow/16375678.cms

NAGPUR: It's a classic case of how the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), a statutory body monitoring zoos and circuses in India, functions. First, the CZA issued orders to seize the Amar Circus elephant as it was not legally owned. But before any action could be taken, it itself legalized ownership with the circus owner.

The fact came to light when owner of Amar Circus Chandrakant Gadge sought to know under the RTI Act about list of circuses in India and record of elephants with these circuses, including their identification (microchip number).

Interestingly, acting on a complaint by animal rights leader Maneka Gandhi, a CZA team did spot inspection of the circus on June 25 at Nagpur and had submitted a report on July 25. The CZA report, copy of which is with TOI, states that the female elephant Padma is ill-treated. The team found fault on 13 counts, including the animal's upkeep.

The report said Padma was in illegal possession of the circus owner violating Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The eight-member committee recommended the state's chief wildlife warden to seize the elephant immediately and send it to the rehabilitation centre where the animal would receive better care and get natural environment.

Besides, the circus owner was also asked to be booked by the chief wildlife warden and Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). The AWBI was even told to cancel registration of Amar Circus. The CZA had also threatened to initiate legal action against the circus owner for concealing information about three elephants that had eventually died earlier.

In between, Gadge made several trips to the CZA, Delhi, to comply with conditions put forth by the committee in its report. On July 23, Gadge filed an RTI application seeking information on circuses and elephants housed in these circuses.

On August 13, in its reply, the CZA said there are 24 circuses operating in the country housing 84 elephants. Padma of Amar Circus also figured in the list, indicating the CZA had legalized its possession with Gadge. It seems the paper work was done between July 5 and 23. On one hand the CZA recommended action but on the other hand legalized the elephant ownership.

The RTI also revealed that some circuses like Jumbo, Moonlight, Gemini, Empire and Famous had more than five elephants. Sources said not all elephants were well kept. Yet, no action has been taken against these owners but Amar Circus was threatened with legal action.

Naresh Kadyan of People for Animals (PFA), Haryana, says elephant is a Schedule I animal under the Wildlife Act and its ownership cannot be exchanged for winning bread and butter and performances. The CZA has no answers to it.

"The decision must have been taken by the member-secretary," said B K Gupta, monitoring and evaluation officer with CZA.

Rescue hippos from all circuses: Maneka Gandhi

NAGPUR: Animal rights activist and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Pilibhit Maneka Gandhi has asked the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), a statutory body under the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), to remove all hippos from circuses and put them in zoos or rescue centres.

The hippos in all the circuses are blind. Obviously they are being blinded to make them more amenable. Earlier, one blind hippo from a circus was rescued. Another died in Jumbo Circus and now the one in Amar Circus is third.

According to Dr BK Gupta, evaluation and monitoring officer with CZA, there are only three hippos on display in circuses.

Gandhi, in a letter to CZA member-secretary BS Bonal, suggested to constitute a committee either by the CZA or the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and seek a report of all animals in the circuses. The circus animals continue to be abused, ill-treated and killed very often.

The MP said that CZA should re-examine registration of all performing animals since beginning till date and rescue all abused animals cancelling their registration.

"Registration of all hippos, docked tailed dogs, feather chopped birds be cancelled. These animals should be rescued and rehabilitated by July 25, 2012. Besides, registration of all elephants as performing animals may also be cancelled," Gandhi said.

She has also suggested to introduce fixed retirement and rehabilitation of performing animals and birds.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-26/flora-fauna/32424013_1_hippos-cza-circuses

AWBI orders inspection of Amar Circus

NAGPUR: The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory body constituted under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, on Wednesday ordered inspection of upkeep of animals in Amar Circus camped at Kasturchand Park in the city.

The probe has been ordered on a complaint filed by Naresh Kadyan, chairman of People For Animals (PFA), Haryana, on May 25. S Vinod Kumaar, assistant secretary of AWBI, under the ministry of environment & forest (MoEF), has asked district collector to constitute a committee with SN Kapoor, who is co-opted member of the AWBI, along with one officer each from the forest and animal husbandry department.

Kapoor said he is in touch with the officials concerned and actual inspection will start after the constitution of the committee. District collector Saurabh Rao was busy with the guardian minister and hence was not available for comments.

The AWBI was constituted for the promotion of animal welfare generally and for the purpose of protecting animals from being subjected to unnecessary pain or suffering, in particular.

The AWBI has been registering performing animals in films, serials, circus under Performing Animals (Registration) Rules 2001. On May 13, 2004, Amar Circus was issued registration by AWBI for 4 elephants, 6 horses, 12 dogs, 1 hippo, 10 parrots, 4 camels and 1 bull.

The collector has been asked to carry out inspection as per Rule 14 of the Performing Animals (Registration) Rules and submit a report for each of the performing and sheltered animals in the Amar Circus.

The committee has been asked to look into animals' health, vaccination and veterinary treatment registers, proper feeding and watering, ownership certificate of animals, number of animals with species, condition of cages whether exhibiting in circus, whether special permission taken for breeding in cage, sufficient exercises undertaken or not and cruelty meted to animals if any.

Kadyan says, "In 2005 when Amar Circus was in Ludhiana in Punjab, we found that hippo was having opacity of eyes and he was not able to see. We got inspection done and performance of hippo was stopped. Making blind animals perform is cruelty. The circus virtually ran away from Ludhiana to Gurgaon. The same circus is now performing in Maharashtra."

On the contrary, Karishma Galani, animal welfare officer and in charge of PFA, Nagpur, says the PFA will oppose any move to rehabilitate the hippo. "We did an inspection of Amar Circus animals and found that animals were fed well," she said.

Another reason not to rehabilitate the animals is that there is no infrastructure with either the forest or the animal husbandry departments. "The animals are at least fed in the circus. They will be left to die if shifted elsewhere," Galani said.

Why Circus Hippos Are Blind?
The hippos are very large and ferocious animals. Its eyes are purportedly damaged so that control becomes easy, or may be due to dirty dingy water and atmosphere its eyes get infected leading to corneal opacity (cataract).

How To Check Hippo Vision?
Don't make noise or allow the circus people speak. Go silently towards its enclosure and show the animal food. If it opens mouth it's OK. If he doesn't it means something is wrong.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/AWBI-orders-inspection-of-Amar-Circus/articleshow/13912840.cms