Danny Boyle slammed for 'exploitative' use of animals in Olympics opening ceremony

London, June 14 (ANI): British filmmaker Danny Boyle has been criticized for planning to include animals in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, with animal rights campaigners branding his spectacle 'exploitative'.

The Slumdog Millionaire director revealed his plans to include real grass, soil and farmyard creatures for the grand opening ceremony of Olympic Games in London in July.

He is set to include 12 horses, 10 chickens, 70 sheep and nine geese when he transforms the arena into a 'British meadow,' but his project has been criticised by animal rights organisation Viva!.

"This is wrong on so many levels," the Herald Sun quoted campaigns director Justin Kerswell, as saying.

"Why would anyone think it was a good idea to subject farmed animals to the pandemonium of an Olympic opening ceremony?" he added.

A representative for Olympic Games organiser LOCOG said: "The welfare of the animals in the opening ceremony is of the utmost importance." (ANI)