John Abraham Tells MoEF: Ban Animal Circuses
He pushed for enforcement of the ban on jallikattu and spoke out against Mumbai’s “dancing” monkeys. Now, John Abraham is urging the Ministry of Environment and Forests to help animals who are abused in India’s circuses. As a Bollywood actor, producer, and model, John chooses to perform – but the longtime PETA India supporter is quick to point out that animals who are held captive and used for human entertainment do not.
John is appealing to Jayanthi Natarajan, the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, and is asking her to ban animal acts in circuses. And he didn’t mince words in describing the abuse that the animals suffer: “Unlike human performers, animals are forced to entertain through the use of fear, pain or hunger. Whips, clubs, hooks and other weapons are often used to inflict pain on elephants and other animals in order to force them to perform confusing tricks. Dogs are crammed into dirty cages, horses are kept tethered by short ropes, elephants are chained by their legs and regularly beaten in order to keep them docile, and birds’ wings are clipped, denying them flight. When the show is over, the animals are forced back into their cages or are shackled or tied, loaded onto lorries and taken to the next town. They never get a break from this endless cycle of abuse.”
It is already illegal for circuses to use bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers, lions, and bulls in their acts. But as John points out, “no animal – no matter the species – wants to be chained, caged, hit or psychologically abused.”
Join John in speaking out against the cruelty of the circus by writing a letter to the editor of your newspaper, organizing a demonstration when the circus is in your area, and requesting that local officials cancel performances. Also, send an e-mail to the Ministry now.
