Agencies

Mumbai, May 5: In the new ad for PETA India’s new youth arm, PETA Dishoom, Shilpa Shetty, stripped down to stripes and crouched in a small cage with a look of despair on her face to illustrate the misery of animals confined at circuses. Shot by ace photographer Atul Kasbekar, the ad encourages the actor’s legions of fans to boycott circuses with animal acts.

This month marks the anniversary of the gruesome incident in which 21 animals, including sea lions, dogs and cats, belonging to the Russian circus burned alive in Mumbai. Shilpa Shetty is reminding everyone who might be tempted to go to a circus that animals in them are sorely abused, often inadequately fed, and routinely hit with whips and rods and even electric shock pods to make them obey commands for a few moments of unenlightened public amusement.

‘By no means was I comfortable during the photo shoot crouched in that small cage,’ explains Shilpa Shetty, a longtime PETA supporter. ‘But those were a few fleeting moments of discomfort for me, compared to what life must be like for the precious animals held captive in the circus. These once-dignified animals only leave their cages, which are barely larger than the size of their bodies, for a few minutes each day to be forced into the ring to perform tricks that make no sense and are upsetting to them. The best way to help animals suffering in circuses is to boycott the circus.’

Other celebrities who have helped PETA spotlight cruelty to animals used in entertainment include Isha Koppikar, Amisha Patel, Rahul Khanna, Rahul Dev, Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger and Goldie Hawn amongst others.