'Infirmary for animal care not appointed under Cruelty Act'

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-10/goa/33136654_1_animal-care-infirmary-high-court

PANAJI: The state government could have avoided the liability it suffered in the bulls' medical bill payment case had it appointed infirmaries for the treatment and care of animals. The latter is a requirement under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Section 35 (1) of the Act empowers the government to appoint infirmaries for the treatment and care of animals. Section 35 (4) of the Act provides that the cost of transporting the animal to an infirmary, and its maintenance and treatment at the infirmary, shall be payable by the owner of the animal in accordance with the scale of rates to be prescribed by a district magistrate.

In the case between the government and the cattle owner, in the case involving nine rescued bulls, the additional sessions court at Margao had referred to these sections of the Act.

The court held that "in such a case strict compliance of the aforesaid provisions of law is warranted and the cost of treatment of the bulls can be obtained from the owner only if the said bulls are kept in a government-appointed infirmary and further if the cost of treatment is in accordance with the scale of rates prescribed by the district magistrate/commissioner of police".

Dealing with this aspect, the high court of Bombay at Goa, hearing an aggrieved government, held that the additional sessions court is right in holding that the intervener (PAWS) was not appointed as an infirmary by the state government in terms of Section 35 (1), as the government neither produced any notification before the sessions court nor before the high court.

The high court also observed that the government has not been able to point out any notification issued by the district magistrate in terms of Section 35 (4) of the Act mentioning the costs of maintenance and treatment in an infirmary.

Is man-animal conflict on decline?

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-08-09/nagpur/33118195_1_man-animal-conflict-death-toll-tigers-and-leopards

NAGPUR: Tigers and leopards are always clouded in mystery for raging man-animal conflict. But there is a sudden decline in the raging conflict this year with 39 human deaths as compared to 58 last year in Maharashtra.

Various theories and parameters are being put forward by the forest officials and experts on conflict, but a scientific study has never been done to ascertain the facts. This year's death toll of 39 is on the lower side if last two years' figures are considered.

During April to March 2010-11, 58 persons were mauled to death while 919 were injured by wild animals - mostly tigers and leopards. During the same period in 2011-12, as many as 39 deaths and 635 cases of injuries were reported, a decline by over 30%. Of the 39 victims in 15 forest circles, 8 were in Chandrapur, 7 in Nagpur, 4 in Yavatmal, 3 each in Dhule, Mumbai, Kolhapur and Gadchiroli and 2 each in Thane, Nashik, Aurangabad and Amravati.

Chandrapur district continues to be worst-affected with 8 deaths and 157 injury cases this year. Although the death toll is low compared to 2010-12 when 17 villagers were mauled and 202 injured. Most of the victims were shepherds and fuel-wood collectors who moved deep inside the jungles.

Why there is a sudden decline in the man-animal conflict? Is it because the number of deaths of predators like tigers and leopards increasing or are people learning to coexist with them?

SWH Naqvi, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Maharashtra, says the decline in number of human deaths fluctuates every year. "With the fragmentation of tiger habitats you can't say the trend will remain the same in future," he said.

Secondly, Naqvi said, "The conflict has come down, especially in Chandrapur, due to massive awareness. As the number of tigers has gone up, people have become more cautious. Tigers have also become tolerant with human presence due to shrinking spaces."

Naqvi cited the example of radio-collared Tass tigress which showed how tigers were coexisting with humans.
However, experts like Nitin Desai, Central India director of Wildlife Protection Society of India ( WPSI), says every theory is a wild guess. There can be several parameters to the man-animal conflict theory.

"It may be possible that conflict caused by particular animals at various locations by repeatedly attacking humans might have been eliminated," Desai said. Another possibility, he says, may be increase in prey species due to which tigers turning towards cattle must have gone down.

"You also cannot rule out awareness as one of the reasons. People have been taking extra care due to large number of attacks by tigers and leopards. However, it is a debatable issue and a scientific study needs to be done," Desai said.

The forest department needs to conduct a study as number of cattle kill cases has gone down from 5,822 in 2010-11 to 4,173 in 2011-12.

On the contrary, Prafulla Bhamburkar, manager, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), says, "Conflict has gone down as problem animals have been eliminated. There were over a dozen tiger deaths during the same period. Many leopards also died due to poaching, mishaps and poisoning. I don't think awareness will stop villagers from entering the forests for fuel-wood and minor forest produce (MFP) collection."

Forest dept may acquire stun guns to subdue straying wild animals

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/Forest-dept-may-acquire-stun-guns-to-subdue-straying-wild-animals/articleshow/15429245.cms

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It looks more like something that you see in science fiction movies. The United States Marshals Service uses this electroshock weapons in law-enforcement operations. These stun guns may soon become part of Kerala forest department's armoury, and may be used to scare away wild animals that stray into human habitats close to buffer zones along the Western Ghats.

Such animal attacks are common in villages close to forest areas in Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram.

On firing, the darts carrying electric shock, penetrate the animal's skin disrupting its voluntary control of muscles. The shock will then incapacitate the animal, numbing its nervous system by cutting off the neuro-impluse network to the brain.

Forest officials said traditional methods - traps, tranquilizer shots - have not been effective in subduing a violent animal on the prowl.

"We have lost many lives because we could neither shoot down the animal nor save the victim. The stun guns will be used in life-and-death situations where there is hardly any time for response," a senior forest official said. He said this device could even be used for overpowering elephants that go on the rampage under 'musth'. "Usually, it takes hours to calm down such elephants. But one shot from this gun can bring an elephant to its knees, and then mahouts can take over."

Animal rights activists weren't convinced, however. When this weapon was used on humans, there were many fatalities, they claimed.

"The government shouldn't procure these deadly devices; there are many other scientific options to subdue an animal. Man-animal conflicts have been on the rise because forest cover is rapidly shrinking due to road and building construction in forest areas. We are encroaching on animal-land," said Maneka Gandhi, animal right activist and founder-president of People For Animals. According to her, the electroshock stun guns can be fired only at close range and this will cause permanent damage to an animal's brain.

"There has not been any study done on its impact of this weapon on animals. We are not addressing the real problem, but only trying to find short-term solutions that will create more health problems for animals," she said.

Paramjit Singh, head of Taser International (India), said that 10,000 Taser guns are being used in the USA both by Marshal Services and wildlife officials monitoring safari parks.

"An enquiry conducted by the US justice department found that victims who were high on drugs suffered a cardiac arrest after being shot with it," he said.

Pro-veg campaign gets support

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Pro-veg-campaign-gets-support/articleshow/15429744.cms

 

HUBLI: The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated,' so said Mahatma Gandhi. To ensure that, People for Animal Liberation (PAL), an NGO fighting against non-vegetarianism, has been organizing Vegetarian Day on August 9 every year. The day is historically significant as the Father of Nation declared 'Quit India' movement in 1942.

As part of Vegetarian Day campaign, hundreds of PAL activists, including students, staged a demonstration at Dharmaveer Sambhaji Circle here on Thursday, wearing masks of different animals and birds. Such demos were simultaneously organized at different parts of the country, with the state campaign being held here. Holding placards and signboards, activists raised slogans on vegetarianism. Volunteer Suma Hulbatte said: "Animals also have the right to live, and it's unfair slaughtering them." Several Jain community leaders like Raju Doddannavar, Rajendra Jain and others were present.

PAL (India) was formed two years ago in Jaipur (Rajasthan) to promote animal rights around the world. Within a short period, it gathered a wide network of volunteers and activists from across the nation. Being an animal rights organization, PAL has also been involved in educating people through plays, demonstrations and awareness programmes. The programme launched through social media is gaining worldwide support. PAL co-ordinator Sudharm Mudalgi said using animals as a food and for entertainment, clothing and experiments is nothing but abuse. "They should be treated with respect, and should never be exploited. PAL works on a simple principle that animals too have right to live," he said.Sudharm said human body is meant for vegetarian food, and having non-vegetarian is against the nature.

"The body structure of non-vegetarian animals is completely different in terms of teeth, nails, digestion mechanism, etc. According to the findings of World Health Organization, non-veg food causes heart-related diseases, cancer and cholesterol," he added.

"Of late, many sportspersons, doctors, models and film stars are turning vegetarians. In America, around one million people have shunned non-veg food. In England, around 2,000 turn pure vegetarians every week," Rajendran told TOI.

Animal rescue missions get a 'rapid response'

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Animal-rescue-missions-get-a-rapid-response/articleshow/15397446.cms

LUCKNOW: At a time when man-animal conflicts are increasing, sticking to obsolete methods for rescue and rehabilitation of wild animals can worsen the situation. The forest department knows the importance of modern equipment in such rescue operations, but is always short of funds to procure them.

Realising the financial limitations of the forest department, an NGO, Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), has gifted the department a modern rescue vehicle. WCT has given the vehicle as a part of its corporate and social responsibility.
The vehicle, called Rapid Response Unit, is stationed at Lucknow zoo. As the name goes, the vehicle is meant for quick response by forest and wildlife teams in times of crisis.

"Immediately after it came, the vehicle was used in the rescue operation in Pratapgarh to control the conflict where a stray leopard had gone unruly," said Rupak De, APCCF, Wildlife and chief wildlife warden, UP. "The vehicle's cost is about Rs 17 lakh. Since, we have added equipment to it, the cost has gone up to some Rs 22 lakh," he added.

The biggest advantage of a rescue vehicle is that it's equipped with features that can speed up the rescue operations. Apart from two tranquilising guns ready with supportive drugs (required for darting an animal), it has several add-ons as well. "The best part is that it's always ready and can be driven to the place of conflict immediately," said zoo director Renu Singh.

The department, till now, used an ordinary truck as a rescue vehicle, with an enclosure attached to it for transporting the rescued animal. If the rescued animal was injured, its treatment was possible only after it was taken to a veterinary unit. Since veterinary units at the district level are generally ill-equipped, the injured animal had to be brought to Lucknow zoo for treatment.

But, with the Rapid Response Unit in operation, a rescued animal can now be given immediate treatment as the vehicle is equipped with a treatment kit. The rescue operations in the state have so far been messy. The divisions facing the man-animal conflicts take time in arranging everything, right from tranquillising guns to the enclosures.

Such operations will, however, become swift now as the Rapid Response Unit has everything ready at one place.

The vehicle has been designed keeping in mind the rescued animals as well as the rigors faced by the rescue teams. The vehicle is equipped with blankets and mosquito nets, folding cots, search lights and generators to make it easy for the rescue teams. The biggest challenge, however, before the department is to keep the vehicle in ready-to-use mode.

Carriage-Horse Cruelty in Mumbai, Judge Orders Reports on Conditions

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/animal-rights/carriage-horse-cruelty-mumbai-judge-orders-reports-conditions

 

By Phyllis M Daugherty, Wed, August 08, 2012

 

 

 

Sick, injured, overworked and malnourished horses are being forced to drag overcrowded carriages (called “Victorias”) through dense and dangerous traffic in Mumbai, India, claim animal-rights activists in public-interest litigation recently submitted to the high court in Bombay.

There have been numerous accidents recorded in this congested city in which both horses and humans have been seriously injured or even killed. Recently, a horse carriage skidded at Gateway of India in Mumbai and seriously injured two passengers. In September last year, another horse pulling a carriage collapsed in the street from exhaustion, according to reports.

After review of the evidence contained in the petition, a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Nitin Jamdar ordered that any unfit horses should be reported to the BMC’s executive health officer and should not be allowed to be returned to the carriage until their owners get a fitness certificate, according to IndiaTimes.com. (The BMC is the Brihan Mumbai Corporation--a major civic corporation in India, which manages the civic requirements of Mumbai.)

Adding strength to the ongoing PIL filed by the Animals and Birds Charitable Trust, an intervention application by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India was accepted by the Bombay High Court, IndiaTimes.com reported on July 7, 2012.  PETA  states that in recent years it has gathered substantial evidence of cruelty to horses used to pull Victoria horse carriages in Mumbai, as well as the traffic risks they pose to citizens.

According to the court order, the original petitioners, Animals and Birds Charitable Trust and the Animal Welfare Board, will have to identify any unfit and sick horses and provide that information to the BMC's executive health officer. The officer will then summon the owner to produce the horse to be examined by a veterinarian from the committee appointed by the BMC. Unless the horse gets a fitness certificate, it will be prohibited from Mumbai streets.

The court also directed the officer to submit a report about the action it has initiated in such cases after three weeks. Meanwhile, the state submitted a list of schemes that could be made available to owners and drivers of horses to rehabilitate them, IndiaTimes.com states.

Animal-protection advocates have been calling for a total ban on horses being used in Mumbai to pull carriages and are encouraged by this decision as at least a first step in providing more humane treatment for the animals. The horses are forced to live in filthy, damp stables amidst their own faces and urine and are often left to stand without any shade, which is a clear violation of law, state the activists who posted the video, Mumbai Horse Carriages Should be Banned (below)

There are approximately 170 horses in Mumbai harnessed to carriages ("Victorias") and around 100 owners and 107 drivers, states the petition filed by Animals and Birds Charitable Trust. Overwork, malnutrition, and lack of proper care are common problems, according to the campaigners.

A report submitted to the high court recently determined that, of the 371 horses examined by the BMC in the city and its suburbs, at least 196 needed treatment.

 The petitioners also claim that many horses show signs of tenderness in their feet due to maggot-riddled hooves. The skin of the horses had burn marks from the limestone used to cover saddle wounds, while their mouths showed injuries from the metal spike placed there to rein them in.. The conditions in stables were pitiable, with horses tethered next to garbage dumps, according to the report.

On June 14, representatives from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Plant & Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) met with civic chief R.K. Somawane, and asked authorities to issue motorized rickshaw licenses to carriage owners willing to switch. Somawane reportedly assured them that no new licenses to drive horse carriages will be issued once the existing carriage drivers move to motor rickshaws.

New York activists have voiced similar ongoing concerns about the horse-carriage trade in New York City and are waging an aggressive effort to ban horse-drawn carriages there. Donny Moss, activist and filmmaker, was awarded a 2009 Genesis award by The Humane Society of the U.S. for BLINDERS, his documentary on the horse-carriage industry in New York and the inhumane conditions under which the horses work and live. (www.blindersthemovie.com)  I asked for Donny's opinion on the situation in Mumbai.

 He stated, "Horses shouldn't be pulling carriages in the streets in any urban area, much less Mumbai, which is one of the most congested cities in the world. When horses spook and flee amidst cars and pedestrians, people and horses are invariably injured or killed."

"Even if all of the horses were deemed healthy by veterinarians, the use of horses to pull carriages in any congested urban area is unsafe and inhumane.  

"When animals are used solely to make money for their owners, abuse and neglect are rampant, as demonstrated by the fact that over half of the horses in Mumbai examined by the government needed treatment."

VIDEO FROM MUMBAI;  Mumbai Horse Carriage should be banned

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09LjtBQ-_ZM&feature=player_embedded