What do we choose to enjoy—and who might suffer because of that choice?
Ahimsa teaches us to look beyond our own enjoyment and think about the feelings and needs of other living beings. This is especially important when animals are used for races, fights, performances or entertainment.
Animals are living beings, just like us. They can feel fear, pain, loneliness and stress, just as we can.
🐓 No Animal Fights or Races
Animal races and fights may be presented as exciting competitions, but the animals do not choose to participate.
Animals may be trained, restrained or forced to compete against one another. In animal fights, they may be encouraged to attack and injure each other. The excitement of the spectators can mean fear, pain and suffering for the animals involved.
We can enjoy sports and competitions that involve willing human participants without making animals fight or race for our entertainment.
Before attending such an event, we can simply ask:
“Is an animal being made to suffer so that I can have fun?”
If the answer is yes, Ahimsa gives us a kinder choice: don’t participate.
🎪 Enjoy Circuses Without Animals
Circuses can be colourful and exciting, but when animals are used as performers, we need to think about what happens behind the show.
Wild and domestic animals have natural behaviours and needs. They are not meant to spend their lives performing tricks for an audience.
Animals used in entertainment may experience confinement, stressful training and fear. They may be transported from place to place and kept away from the natural environment they need.
A circus can still be entertaining without animals.
We can enjoy:
🤹 Human performers
🎭 Theatre and drama
🤸 Acrobatics and gymnastics
🎪 Circus skills performed by people
🎵 Music, dance and creative shows
The best entertainment is entertainment that makes us happy without making another being suffer.
🌱 A Lesson in Compassion
Children often learn by observing the choices adults make.
When we choose animal-free entertainment, we teach an important lesson:
Animals are not performers. Animals are not competitors. Animals are not entertainment.
They are living beings with their own lives, needs and freedom.
We don’t need to condemn people who may not have thought about these issues before. Instead, we can encourage everyone to become more aware and make kinder choices.
🏫 Think, Discuss and Share
Teachers and parents can ask children:
How might an animal feel during a race or fight?
Why might an animal be afraid during a performance?
Can we have fun without using animals?
What animal-free entertainment do we enjoy?
What is one kind choice we can make the next time we go out?
These simple questions can help children develop empathy and understand that our fun should not depend on another being’s suffering.
❤️ Choose Joy Without Cruelty
We have many choices today.
We can watch a sporting event without animals fighting.
We can enjoy a circus without animal performers.
We can celebrate without causing fear or pain.
Ahimsa is not about giving up joy.
It is about finding kinder ways to enjoy it.
🌿 Our Ahimsa Pledge
I will not watch animals fight.
I will not cheer for their pain.
I will choose fun without cruelty,
And let animals live freely again.
Choose compassion.
Choose kindness.
Choose entertainment that harms no one.
Ahimsa Ki Pathshala
Learning kindness, one small action at a time.
