Pune: Activists Protest Animal Captivity and Exploitation Outside Katraj Zoo
Pune, 31st December 2024: A group of animal rights activists staged a peaceful protest outside Katraj Zoo on December 28 to condemn the captivity and exploitation of animals. The event, titled Face the Truth, sought to shed light on the hardships animals endure in zoos and challenge society’s treatment of animals across various industries.
“Animals are not commodities for our entertainment or profit,” said Saee Manakant, one of the organizers. “Captivity robs them of their freedom, disrupts their natural behaviors, and isolates them from their families. Zoos are a reflection of how we, as a society, fail to see animals as sentient beings with emotions and rights, reducing them to objects for amusement.”
The protest expanded beyond zoos to address the widespread exploitation of animals in industries like food, fashion, entertainment, and research. Activists held signs with messages such as “Dairy Steals Motherhood” and “Fish Belong in the Ocean,” while videos played nearby, exposing practices like calf separation in dairy farms and debeaking in poultry.
“We often normalize the abuse of animals because it’s ingrained in our culture, but that doesn’t make it right,” said Abhishek, another activist at the event. “Choosing to exploit animals for food, clothing, or entertainment is not a necessity—it’s a choice. These are sentient beings who deserve to live free from harm and suffering.”
The demonstrators encouraged the public to rethink their everyday choices and stop supporting industries that profit from animal cruelty. “As we begin the New Year, it’s an opportunity to reflect on how our actions affect other living beings,” added Saee Manakant. “Animals deserve justice, freedom, and dignity—not lives of suffering at our expense.”
The protest concluded with a plea for individuals to adopt cruelty-free lifestyles and promote compassion towards all living creatures.
