Chennai, Jul 18 (IANS): The Coimbatore police have registered a case against the Great Bombay Circus for alleged cruelty to dogs and birds. The police registered the case based on a complaint by an animal rights activist, Arun Prasanna. G

Chennai, July 18 (IANS)The Coimbatore police have registered a case against the Great Bombay Circus for alleged cruelty to dogs and birds. The police registered the case based on a complaint by an animal rights activist, Arun Prasanna. G.

The case has been registered under Sections of the IPC and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The complainant said that the circus in its show at Coimbatore VOC Grounds on July 16 had used 7 dogs, two cockatoos, one macaw and three African grey parrots. Prasanna in the complaint also stated that these animals were used during the 7 p.m. show.

In the complaint, he said that the wings of the birds were found clipped and that they could fly only a few feet which was against their natural movement. He said that the dogs and birds were forced to perform tricks before the audience and that they were in great distress as these were against the thir natural behaviour.

Prasanna stated that a certificate from the Animal Welfare Board of India must be obtained under the Performing Animals( Registration) Rules 2001 for the animals and birds used in circuses.

He alleged that the circus company has a certificate for dogs issued in 2010 and added that it was not sure whether the same dogs were performing even now. He added that the certificate for the birds was issued in 2004.

The People For Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had earlier filed a complaint against the same company in April 2023 and four exotic birds were confiscated by the Thrissur city police.