Orders issued for release of horses

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, FEB. 17. The government has issued orders for release of about 55 sick and aged horses of the King Institute stable, which had been recommended for `discharge' by the Madras Veterinary College (MVC) from the Anti-Snake-Venom-Serum programme in January.

The team of veterinarians from the college had visited King Institute after the university's assistance was sought to cull sick animals. The college Dean, Dr. R. Manickam, said the recommendation was primarily based on the dental condition and age factor of the animals, besides arthritis and overgrown hoofs.

Sources said the horses would be handed over to the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) for rehabilitation. The animals would be accommodated at a 10 acre site offered by one of the industrial houses at Palladam, near Coimbatore. There was adequate land for grazing and the donor had assured all assistance for the rehabilitation programme.

Animal welfare associations in the city are also expected to pool resources to provide comfort for the `retired' horses. The entire exercise of transportation and rehabilitation of the `released' animals would be handled by the CPSCEA with no cost to the government. The transfer of the sick animals to the site is expected to take a few days as renovation work at Palladam appears to be holding up the transfer. The site was earlier a windmill unit.

While the animal welfare activists have more or less reconciled themselves to the fact that the sick animals have to a great extent been taken care of, there is no information on resumption of the ASVS programme from the Institute. The Social Justice Minister, Ms. Maneka Gandhi, during her visit to the city last month said the programme would ``remain frozen'' till such time the institute followed WHO norms for production.

The state Chapter of the Indian Medical Association had also voiced its concern for resumption of ASVS production for the benefit of snake-bite victims.

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Section  : Southern States
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