Overview
- In a February 26 letter to Chancellor Suneel Galgotia, PETA India asked the university to donate its robotic dog Orion via the group for use in circuses so real dogs can be rehomed or sent to sanctuaries.
- PETA said the donation would demonstrate the use of technology for animal welfare and proposed that Galgotias students train circus performers to operate robotic alternatives.
- The robot was displayed at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, where reports said the university presented a Chinese-made robot as its own and was asked to remove its stall.
- PETA cited examples of Rambo and Gemini circuses introducing mechanical animals as it urged wider adoption of non-animal acts.
- The group said over 193,930 people have appealed to end animal use in circuses and noted a petition in the Delhi High Court seeking enforcement of the draft Performing Animals Rules, 2018; the university had not responded to the letter at the time of publication.