| The parakeet shown in the recent Hutch ad is a protected
bird, and cannot be used for any ads or films under any circumstances.
Possession of protected animals (who are listed in the different schedules
of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972) without an appropriate ownership
certificate from the requisite chief wildlife warden of that state
is a criminal act, as is the trade and trafficking of all wild birds.
The ad also supports a cruel industry: the illegal trade and trafficking
in captive birds. "Please realise that even the parakeet shown
in your ad met with the same cruelty as all captive birds: painful
clipping of his wing feathers and a life of captivity in a tiny
cage in which he can barely turn around," writes Peta India
chief functionary Anuradha Sawhney in her letter to the company.
Last year, Peta wrote a letter appealing to all ad agencies across
India to adhere to animal-protection laws when shooting with animals
and to consider the treatment of animals on the sets.
"O&M is well aware of the laws governing the use of animals
in films. We have written to them in the past regarding a donkey
they used in a Sprite ad, again without permission. We want everyone
to know that wherever you go with animals, Peta will follow you,"
adds Sawhney.
Attempts to contact O&M India group president and national
creative director Piyush Pandey or Hutchison officials by indiantelevision.com
proved futile.
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