Bigg Boss 18: PETA calls use of donkeys in show ‘distressing’ and asks Salman Khan to ‘avoid using animals as props’

PETA’s letter to Salman Khan

On Wednesday, Shaurya Agrawal, an advocacy representative of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, wrote a letter to Bigg Boss 18 host Salman Khan, alerting him to the use of the donkey in the show. “We are inundated with complaints from members of the public who are deeply concerned about the keeping of a donkey in the Bigg Boss house. Your concerns are legitimate and cannot be ignored,” the letter said. PETA India called the animal’s inclusion in the show “disturbing” and called on Salman to use his influence as host and star to “give the donkey to PETA India and place it in a shelter with other rescued donkeys.”

The letter also said that “the use of animals on the set of a show is no laughing matter” and asked Salman to “avoid using animals as props for entertainment.” The letter states that the donkey was brought to the house by one of the candidates, lawyer Sadavarte.

Public reaction to Bigg Boss 18’s donkey

The donkey was introduced by Salman Khan on the day of the grand premiere and he even confided in the rest of the contestants about his well-being during his stay in the house. While many found the animal’s inclusion funny, others said it was not fair to confine the donkey, a social animal, in the Bigg Boss house. “The participants are caught there with their consent, but the donkey is not,” wrote one viewer on Reddit.

Bigg Boss 18, hosted by Salman Khan, aired on Colors TV and JioCinema from October 6. The popular reality show pits 18 contestants against each other while locked in a house for weeks and months.