21 animals killed in circus

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21 animals killed in circus

SATISH NANDGAONKAR

Mumbai, April 4: Twenty-one animals were charred to

death in a fire inside a Russian circus tent here.

 

Four sea lions, 10 Eskimo dogs and seven mixed-breed

cats died when they could not escape the blaze in the

tent at the Chitrakoot grounds in Andheri in the

western suburbs.

 

The fire was reported around 3 pm in the tent of the

Russian State Circus Company Rosgoscirk, which had

performed at Calcutta’s Netaji indoor stadium in

November 2004.

 

Fire-fighters could rescue only three Eskimo dogs with

burn injuries and the condition of one was said to be

serious. They were taken to a welfare centre run by

the animal rights organisation Karuna.

 

“It was terrible to see the black, burnt animal

carcasses,” said Arvind Shah of Karuna.

 

Amitabh Gupta, the deputy commissioner of police of

Zone VIII, said: “The fire brigade authorities told us

that short circuit could be one of the likely reasons.

Though we have registered a case of accidental fire,

we will do a full investigation into the case.”

 

Promoted by an event management company, Choice Events

and Trade, the circus toured Calcutta and Indore

before reaching Mumbai where animal rights groups

strongly opposed its performance.

 

People for Animals, an NGO, had secured a stay order

against the circus using sea lions, Eskimo dogs and

cats during performances.

 

The circus company argued that it was a foreign entity

and Indian rules could not apply to it, and succeeded

in getting the stay vacated from Bombay High Court on

March 17.

 

Animal rights activists had warned the court about the

negligence shown by the circus. Dharmesh Solanki of

People for Animals said: “The circus had performed in

Calcutta and Indore without permission from the Animal

Welfare Board of India.”

 

The board had asked the animal rights activists to

inspect the conditions in which the animals were kept.

 

“These animals were brought from extremely cold

regions and we found them living in extremely poor

conditions,” Solanki said.

 

He added that the circus had three air-conditioners,

but they were clearly insufficient in recreating the

temperatures the animals were accustomed to in nature.

 

 

“When we conducted the inspection on March 6, only two

air-conditioners were working. The dogs, especially,

were kept in filthy conditions,” Solanki said.

 

Based on the inspection report, the board had refused

permission to the circus. But after the high court

vacated the stay, the circus was allowed to use the

animals.

 

The carcasses were being taken away for post-mortem by

the Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to

Animals. J.C. Khanna, secretary, who had visited the

spot, said:

 

“Usually circus tents use cotton cloth. But, this one

used polythene material.”

 

Peta, the animal rights organisation Pamela Anderson,

among others, promotes, has decided to write to

Russian President Vladimir Putin about the incident.

 

 

 

GREATNESS OF NATION AND ITS MORAL PROGRESS

CAN BE JUDGED BY THE WAY ITS ANIMALS ARE TREATED- M.K GANDHI.

STOP HUMAN AND ANIMAL SUFFERING - GO VEGAN

I am only one but still I am one. I cannot do everything but still I can do

something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

Helen Keller 1880 - 1968

 

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