FW: NYTimes.com: Run Away to the Circus? No Need. It's Staying Here.

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

I am forwarding a link to an article which appeared in yesterday's New

York Times on the Cirque du Soleil which celebrates it 25th anniversary this

year.

 

This was one of the earliest circuses, along with Circus Oz, which had

no animal shows and which has been extremely successful. Cirque's owner sold a

20% share last year to a Dubai based fund but the show is still animal-free.

 

When the circus federation in India has been laying the blame on

organisations like the Blue Cross, PfA and other animal " activists " for its

decline because five species of animals (bears, lions, tigers, monkeys and

panthers) have been banned from being used in circuses, this article proves that

a good show attracts people even if there is no cruelty to terrified animals.

 

For almost three years, the Ministry of Environment & Forests, under

pressure from the Indian Circus Federation, had a high level committee which met

about a dozen times to work out a new set of rules for animals in entertainment.

 

Unfortunately, the meetings produced no result since the then Secretary of the

MoEF, Mr. Prodipto Ghosh, retired last year before the new rules could be

finalised.

 

Mrs. Norma Alvarez and I represented the animal welfare groups on this

Committee and attended these meetings at great cost in time, effort and money

and the new rules would have been more fair to the animals being abused by the

circuses and menageries masquerading as zoos.

 

The Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board who also attended many of these

meetings and brought in much expertise regarding racing and polo may please be

requested to follow up and see that protection is extended to animals not

covered by the existing rules, especially rhinos, horses and elephants. Please

also write polite letters to the

Ministry of Environment & Forests demanding a ban on animals in circuses. Wild

animals certainly belong to the forests not to the big top.

 

Please go to

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/theater/29circ.html?emc=eta1

 

S. Chinny Krishna