It can’t be easy for animals to perform before blinding lights, cameras and crowds. That’s why the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) issued an advisory earlier this week, requesting makers of films, shows and ads to prioritize the use of technology over the use of live animals. The AWBI, under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, is mandated to authorize the use of animals in films.

The advisory asks filmmakers “to use artistic and technological means instead of live animals in films, advertisements, TV shows and digital content”. In the advisory, the AWBI says that “animals are requested to be transported to far-off film studios and locations, sometimes even outside the state perimeter. At film sets, already stressed animals are exposed to crowds, artificial lights, chaos, often dressed up in costumes and made to follow commands to deliver the scenes. Against their natural instincts and behaviour, animals are forced to do unnatural actions such as driving, riding pillion, playing musical instruments and other physical gestures.”

It further states, “Welfare of animals on-set and off-set is imperative”. There have been instances of trainers routinely using methods “that involve coercion or punishment to force animals to perform, unnecessary pain and suffering”.

The board has taken note of “numerous complaints reporting that many animals have died or been injured on production sets.” Thus, it has advised “effective methods such as computer-generated imagery (CGI), visual effects (VFX), and animatronics should be prioritised instead of involving live animals.”

PETA had recently appealed against cruelty to animals for films, TV shows, advertisements, and digital content after a horse was reported to have died on the set of a Tamil film. “The AWBI has taken a step appropriate for modern times to encourage the use of existing technology in the production of films, TV shows, advertisements, and online content instead of forcing animals to perform,” says Khushboo Gupta, chief advocacy officer, PETA India.