Take Charge to Stop Animal Imprisonment
Animals in zoos throughout India are suffering. Between July 2005 and February 2006, PETA India investigators visited 14 zoos throughout India and found appalling neglect, decrepit facilities and animal suffering on a massive scale. Every facility was seriously deficient in terms of food, drinking water, housing, veterinary care, environmental enrichment, and safety and security.
Countless animals do not have adequate food or water. Many live in concrete and iron cages which do not have any enrichment or even a blade of grass. Some cages are so small that the animals can barely move. Many animals exhibit neurotic and abnormal behaviours, including pacing, head-bobbing and extreme agitation. Some animals have visible injuries and are clearly ill.
Animals are housed inappropriately: Prey animals are kept in close proximity to predators in several facilities, which causes extreme stress to both types of animals. Some social primates are housed individually, and one elephant was chained by both front legs. Many animals have no shelter to protect them from weather extremes or to give them privacy. Animals were observed eating debris, rotten food and items which were thrown into their cages. Water moats are dry, fencing is rusted and insecure, and cages are barren and bleak.
Some facilities have few or no staff members present. Visitors are often seen feeding the animals. The visitors sometimes tease and taunt animals and throw rocks and debris at them. Few or no educational materials are available at zoos.
You can help animals at zoos – and earn a cool petaDishoom pen and cap while doing so (while supplies last).
Please write polite letters to the following officials expressing your concern and demanding that action be taken. Send copies to us at petaDishoom, PO Box 28260, Juhu, Mumbai 400 049 India or via e-mail at Dishoom@petaindia.org and earn your prizes. It’s that easy.
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Shri. A. Raja |
Member Secretary Central Zoo Authority Annexe-VI, Bikaner House Shahjahan Road New Delhi 110 011 India 91-011-2338 1585 91-011-2338 6012 (fax) cza@nic.in |
The most significant action you can take is to refuse to visit zoos and animal displays. Zoos will be forced to stop breeding and capturing more animals from the wild if their financial support disappears. Urge government officials to use precious funds to protect animals’ homes in the wild, not to keep animals behind bars. Zoos divert funds from legitimate conservation efforts. If your zoo solicits money from corporate donors or charitable organisations and foundations, write to the zoo’s sponsors and encourage them to direct their money towards the protection of animals in the wild instead.
For more information and to read about the findings of PETA India’s investigations, click here.
