A Russian State Circus in performance at Netaji Indoor Stadium

On the night of April 4, 21 animals belonging to the Russian State Circus Company, Rosgoscirk, were charred to death. The sea lions were kept in a 30-ft room with plastic sheets on the floor, with no windows and no light. The cats were in a smaller room with broken plywood pieces. The highly inflammable plastic caught fire and there was no way the animals could have been saved in time.

It is amazing how accidents affecting human lives attract nation-wide attention while the daily suffering of circus animals goes unnoticed. Most of us see circus animals unchained, wearing colourful costumes under the glitter of neon lights with cheerful music surrounding them. We do not see them caged and chained in darkness, denied sunshine, fresh air and freedom.

Wild animals which are used to roaming over long distances seeking food, playing and socialising with their own kind are confined in cages or chained for up to 23 hours a day. The only way to break their free spirit is to beat, shock and whip them to make them perform. Trainers drug some animals to make them ?manageable? and remove the teeth and claws from others.

Torture

Otherwise why would a tiger, which is instinctively afraid of fire, jump through a flaming hoop? Because he is more afraid of what will happen to him if he doesn?t jump than he is of the fire. Elephants are made to balance their tremendous weight on a tiny stool and ?elephant hooks? are used to control the animal by pulling behind the ear (which is a particularly sensitive area). It is unusual to see tears running from the eyes of wild elephants, although it is common in captive elephants. Bears commonly have their noses broken while being trained. How else would you see them balancing on balls?

Travel

Circuses are constantly travelling from city to city, with access to basic necessities such as food, water, and veterinary care often inadequate. Climatically, the circus environment is quite different from the animals? natural habitats, and temperature extremes cause misery and sometimes death. Most of the animals that are quite large and naturally active are forced to spend most of their lives in small, barren cages used to transport them, where they have only enough room to stand and turn around, forcing them to eat and defecate in the same place.

Tamasha

At the circus, children do not see the animals? natural behaviour patterns ?intelligence, food-gathering instincts, social interaction and other remarkable behaviour they exhibit in the wild. Instead, they learn that it is all right to force animals to do unnatural tricks and to treat them as nothing more than commodities. Educate your children on what the circus does to the animals. Take your children for nature walks and appreciate the wildlife in their natural habitats. Watch wonderful wildlife and nature documentaries on National Geographic and Animal Planet with your children, teaching them to respect nature.

Take a stand

Circuses strip the animals of their dignity, respect and natural beauty. On behalf of animals everywhere, boycott circuses with animals. And make your voice of protest heard.