‘Racing’ bullocks admitted to hospital with fractured limbs

Mumbai: Two bullocks, each with both front limbs fractured, have been admitted to the animal hospital at Parel. Hospital officials expressed suspicion that the bullocks sustained injury on being forced into racing. A third bovine, which had also been brought in a "very bad" condition, died on Friday. Bullock-cart racing is legal in the state.Both the bullocks have been admitted to the cattle ward, with their front limbs bandaged. One of them is unable to stand up, and has been lying in a prostrate position. The other is being made to stand in a makeshift sling. "Both bovines would be in pain," said Dr Mayur Dangar, manager of BSPCA. The advantage in keeping the bullock standing is that it helps in blood circulation to the nerves besides facilitating routine bodily functions, he said. The one that is lying in prostrate position cannot even eat on its own. "It has to be fed… Also, its hide has peeled off," said Dr Dangar."The person who brought the bullocks here said that they were being trained to run. It is very likely that these bullocks were being forced to participate in bullock-cart races," Dr Dangar said, adding that one of the bullocks had been brought from Turbhe.The fractured limbs have been disjointed and it could take up to a month at least for the bones to heal. "If at all the bone gets properly fused at the joint, the bullock would be able to walk. If not, it may not be able to stand, leave alone be able to walk."Going by the nature of the fractures, the vet said that these could have happened either in an accident case or if the bullocks were playing around. "But in that case, one limb could possibly have been fractured, not both," he said adding that it was likely the first instance where the veterinary hospital received three cases of bovines with both front limbs fractured.It's an offence for animals to be beaten, kicked, over-ridden, tortured, or subjected to pain or unnecessary suffering, states the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, said Meet Ashar, PETA India's Cruelty Response Legal Advisor and Associate Director. "Bulls don't run during races because they want to win a title or prize; they bolt because someone has hit them with a weapon, such as a nail-studded stick or a whip. This often results in broken bones or worse," Ashar noted. He said that frenzied participants at bullock races sometimes even break their tailbones at each joint, which is like breaking a human's finger joint by joint. He said these "barbaric" actions directly contravene the Animal Cruelty Act.Mumbai: Two bullocks, each with both front limbs fractured, have been admitted to the animal hospital at Parel. Hospital officials expressed suspicion that the bullocks sustained injury on being forced into racing. A third bovine, which had also been brought in a "very bad" condition, died on Friday. Bullock-cart racing is legal in the state.Both the bullocks have been admitted to the cattle ward, with their front limbs bandaged. One of them is unable to stand up, and has been lying in a prostrate position. The other is being made to stand in a makeshift sling. "Both bovines would be in pain," said Dr Mayur Dangar, manager of BSPCA. The advantage in keeping the bullock standing is that it helps in blood circulation to the nerves besides facilitating routine bodily functions, he said. The one that is lying in prostrate position cannot even eat on its own. "It has to be fed… Also, its hide has peeled off," said Dr Dangar."The person who brought the bullocks here said that they were being trained to run. It is very likely that these bullocks were being forced to participate in bullock-cart races," Dr Dangar said, adding that one of the bullocks had been brought from Turbhe.The fractured limbs have been disjointed and it could take up to a month at least for the bones to heal. "If at all the bone gets properly fused at the joint, the bullock would be able to walk. If not, it may not be able to stand, leave alone be able to walk."Going by the nature of the fractures, the vet said that these could have happened either in an accident case or if the bullocks were playing around. "But in that case, one limb could possibly have been fractured, not both," he said adding that it was likely the first instance where the veterinary hospital received three cases of bovines with both front limbs fractured.It's an offence for animals to be beaten, kicked, over-ridden, tortured, or subjected to pain or unnecessary suffering, states the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, said Meet Ashar, PETA India's Cruelty Response Legal Advisor and Associate Director. "Bulls don't run during races because they want to win a title or prize; they bolt because someone has hit them with a weapon, such as a nail-studded stick or a whip. This often results in broken bones or worse," Ashar noted. He said that frenzied participants at bullock races sometimes even break their tailbones at each joint, which is like breaking a human's finger joint by joint. He said these "barbaric" actions directly contravene the Animal Cruelty Act.
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