PIL to stop inhumane animal husbandry procedures; HC seeks Centre stand

The Delhi High Court Friday sought response of the Centre and Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) on a PIL seeking prohibition of allegedly "inhumane animal husbandry procedures" in India. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notice to the Centre, AWBI and animal husbandry departments of all states and union territories (UTs) seeking their stand on the plea by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), India. The court listed the matter for hearing on September 15.

PETA India, represented by advocates Aman Hingorani and Himanshu Yadav, has also sought a prohibition on the allegedly "cruel methods adopted for euthanasia of animals in India". PETA, also represented by advocate Swati Sumbly, has further sought a direction to the Centre to make rules under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act "to define, regulate and improve the prescribed manner of animal husbandry practices", like nose roping, branding, castration and dehorning of cattle.

It has also sought replacement of these procedures with "humane alternative methods" like face halter, radio frequency identification devices and breeding hornless cattle. Another relief sought by it is creation of standard operating procedures, by the Centre, AWBI, states and UTs, for carrying out animal husbandry procedures and use of anesthesia overdose for euthanasia or mass culling of animals for disease control.

PETA has claimed in its plea that the prevalent "crude methods" of euthanasia or mass killing of animals for disease control include injecting chemicals that painfully stop the functioning of the heart and lungs while animals are still conscious and burying or burning them alive.