Abandoned by owners, horses dying on streets, experts say abandonment by owners unethical and inhumane

BASHARAT RASHID

Srinagar,02 Nov: A  large number of owners have left their horses abandoned in many places here in the Tral sub-district, leaving them vulnerable to attacks by wild animals, contract, spread, suffer and die from contagious diseases.

Witnesses said that a large number of horses and some donkeys, who have been abandoned, could be seen in the streets and orchards in several areas of Tral and other parts in South Kashmir for months.

They said that these animals have been neglected by their owners and are moving here & there in search of food, shelter  etc.

As per the eyewitnesses, some horses died in different accidents on the streets, some die in electrocution or fall prey to attacks by other animals.

Reports said that many horses were earlier (in summers) seen in the vegetable fields, mustard fields, and orchards grazing due to which locals/farmers had suffered a lot.

Now that winter is approaching these abandoned animals are more prone to wild animal attacks. They freeze in the winter. Puddles of water that they find to drink from can be frozen over in winter. The lives of homeless horses, donkeys, or even other animals are spent in fear and discomfort and then finally cut short.

A few days back, one of the horses fell down into a deep well and was rescued by a joint team of Municipal Committee, Fire service, Wildlife, Police and locals, with the help of some officials from ADC’s office.

However, the horse was grievously injured and couldn’t stand up, due to the injuries.

Later on, the officials of Animal Husbandry visited the spot and treated the horse in an open field, as there is no such facility available in the sub-district, where horses or other animals can be treated securely.

The experts in Animal husbandry have called the abandonment of horses by the owners unethical and inhumane. They said that they have been trying to aware people regarding the care of their animals and not abandon them when they don’t require the services of these animals.

“Horses are being abandoned by the owners for long, particularly in winters, however, in summers their owners take them back, again  for their services, which is very selfish and unkind”, said, experts.

One of the Animal Husbandry experts in the Tral sub-district, Dr. Mudasir Ahmad, talking to Arising State, expressed concern over the issue and said that “abandoning horses is unethical and inhumane”.He said that it needs nothing but conscience to treat the animals well.

Another expert said that the abandonment of animals is a punishable offence in light of the prevention of cruelty to animals act.

Earlier, an order was issued by the ADC Tral, which clearly depicted the stern action against the violators but, later on, no action was taken against anyone, as the animals continued to be abandoned by their owners.