Guwahati: Three white doves and a goat were rescued from North East Sun Circus in Guwahati after police, acting on a complaint from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, found animals being forced to perform without mandatory registration.
The rescue followed the circulation of a WhatsApp video showing a goat walking on a tightrope and a dove being used in a magic act.
Based on PETA India’s complaint, Fatasil Ambari police conducted a raid on the circus, which had not obtained a Performing Animals Registration Certificate (PARC) from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), as required under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
The animals have since been permanently relinquished to PETA India for rehabilitation.
PETA India’s Emergency Response Coordinator, Shilpi Das, said the case highlighted the growing awareness among children that animal performances involve cruelty.
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“If circuses want to remain relevant in 2025, they will modernise and go animal-free, using only willing human performers,” she said, while commending the Fatasil Ambari police and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Moitrayee Deka for swift action.
The AWBI, the statutory body regulating the use of animals in performances, has repeatedly flagged cruelty in circuses across India, even in those with valid licences.
Investigations have documented animals confined in cramped conditions, deprived of basic care, and subjected to punishment to perform tricks, often displaying stress-induced repetitive behaviours.
