PETA highlights cruelty against bullocks

Mumbai, Jul 31 (UNI) Animal rights organization, People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), today organized a demonstration here to highlight the plight of 'India's beasts of burden' -- bullocks, and to seek ban on their use to draw heavy carts.

The agitators displayed life-size cut-out models of bullocks.

Famous personalities like Raveena Tandon, Akshaye Khanna, Rahul Khanna and Avanti Birla among others pledged their support to put a stop to using bullock carts to draw oil barrel carts.

According to PETA findings, the animals at Sewree in central Mumbai are used to cart 1,000 litre barrels over 8 km -- one way.

A force of 200 bullocks is regularly employed to handle 400 carts without adequate food, shelter or nourishment. Injured and sick animals are often forced to work in appalling conditions without proper care, the findings issued here said.

Talking to UNI, PETA official said, ''Numerous cases have been filed against the practice by different organizations over the years with no effect. These people know it is crime to inflict this kind of cruelty on animals''.

It is the responsibility of the government to take necessary steps to stop such acitivities and find an alternative means of earning livelihood for the people, added the official.

PETA, supported by eminent citizens like Justice (retd) C S Dharmadhikari, has filed an RTI and complaint to the authorities, including oil companies, to stop the practice.

UNI ZC LY/SSS AKJ CS2107