Multipurpose co-operative society for elephants and owners in Kerala

Thrissur, Sep 3 (UNI) If human beings can form societies to meet their demands, why cann't jumbos? The elephant owners and lovers in the cultural city of Kerala have come up with a society with an aim to ensure the complete welfare of elephants, mahouts, owners, doctors and its lovers.

The society, ''Elephant Owners Multipurpose Co-operative Society'', have formed here with an initial membership of one hundred elephant owners in the city and a working capital of Rs five lakh.

''The recent frequent death of elephants in road accidents and in disease prompted us to think about starting such a society,'' says its president T M Sunder Menon.

''The main purpose of opening the society is to ensure the welfare of elephants, mahouts, owners, veterinary doctors, elephants lovers and its well wishers,'' he told UNI.

More than 700 elephants, 2,000 mahouts, 50 veterinarians, 450 owners, besides more than 8,000 well wishers would come under the society activities, he said.

Lack of modern treatment facility, unscientific elephant keeping, exploitation and non availability of sufficient food cause suffering to the elephants, owners and veterinarians, he pointed out.

Mr Menon said the first priority of the society would be to make available treatment facilities to elephants, as recently many elephants had died without getting proper and timely expert treatment after they met with accidents.

The society would purchase a mobile hospital unit, equipped with all modern facilities, including a crane, to meet any emergency, particularly during accidents. Veterinarians could travel to treat sick or injured animals unable to be moved, even in remote areas, he said.

On future activities and plans of the society, he said, ''we wanted to set up a super speciality hospital, with all modern treatment facilities, including the facility to treat elephants as inpatients.'' More UNI CGV PR DB1038