COIMBATORE: Animals will be totally banned from circus shows, said S Umarani, secretary, Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). “Animals used in circus are treated brutally. They are kept hungry and cruel treatment is meted out to them. Hence, there is widespread demand for the ban of animals in circus shows,” she said. In the city to inaugurate the animal welfare club at CMS Matriculation School on Wednesday under the aegis of Animal Rescuer’s, an animal welfare organisation, Umarani said they plan to remove the use of animals from circus shows completely within a year.

Wild animals including tigers and lions have already been banned from the shows for more than 10 years. However, animals including horses, camels and dogs are still being used. The board plans to ban these animals too.

However, this decision has not gone down well with those part of the circus industry. “Given this ban, we will have to concentrate more on acrobatic performances,” said Shrihari Nair, a media co-ordinator of various circus groups including Gemini and Jumbo Circuses.