Guest guest Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060914/asp/calcutta/story_6736624.asp Thursday, September 14, 2006 IN TODAY'S PAPER Calcutta CITY NEWSLINES Metro THE TELEGRAPH Calcutta Condemned horses get a lease of life SUBHRO SAHA The equine shelter at Ashari. Picture: Courtesy www.animalcrusaders.org Hit in the head by a bolt gun, and served for dinner in Japan, France and Belgium. That's the fate of thousands of horses being slaughtered in Texas, US, for human consumption, according to recent reports. True, horsemeat is not hot on our menu. Yet, retired police horses or injured racehorses are traditionally " put down " in Calcutta, be it for want of stable space or resources for maintenance of the animals. In a refreshing deviation, the Riding School of the Police Training College, Barrackpore, has moved to put a stop to this unkind practice. It has asked animal hospital-cum-shelter Ashari to take care of 14 of its retired horses ( " unfit for police duty " ) till death. In a letter to People for Animals (PFA), which runs the vet hospital in Mukundapur off the EM Bypass, G.C. Dutt, special inspector-general and deputy inspector-general of police (training), Police Training College, Barrackpore, asked the trustees of the NGO " the cost of taking care of these horses until death " . The " subject " of the letter (Memo No. 2355/CDI, dt. 30.08.06) " Destruction of Horses " itself is a poignant reminder of the fate such " unfit " horses have been suffering till now. " This is an extremely heartening move and hopefully, will be an eye-opener for many other institutes saddled with infirm animals, " Debasis Chakrabarti, managing trustee, PFA Calcutta, told Metro. Chakrabarti wrote back to Dutt saying: " Your letter expressing the kind gesture of sheltering the retired police horses " until death " merits compliments and gratitude on behalf of all animal crusaders. " The NGO sent a team to Barrackpore to assess logistics of transporting the horses and the process is now " awaiting the completion of necessary paperwork " . The horses will be kept in an " exclusive free-roaming paddock " (5,000 sq ft, with a 1,000 sq ft shed) with provision for walks inside the 4.4-acre Ashari campus. Towards maintenance cost, PFA suggested that the police provide the feeding expenditure of Rs 32 per day per horse. " As we provide free treatment to all the rescued animals, the same will be our responsibility, " Chakrabarti wrote. The hospital-shelter had placed a similar proposal before Royal Calcutta Turf Club to send retired and injured racehorses to its facility, instead of resorting to euthanasia. Most of the retired racehorses are sold by the owners to riding schools, amusement parks, police or the army for parades. Only injured horses with no takers are put down. This is where Ashari wants to step in and " give the condemned animals a new lease of life " . -- Copyright � 2006 The Telegraph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 Beautiful - thanks Ashari on behalf of all of us. S. Chinny Krishna debasischak [debasischak] Thursday, September 14, 2006 6:54 AM aapn Cc: animals; animalcrusader Retired Police Horses http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060914/asp/calcutta/story_6736624.asp Thursday, September 14, 2006 IN TODAY'S PAPER Calcutta CITY NEWSLINES Metro THE TELEGRAPH Calcutta Condemned horses get a lease of life SUBHRO SAHA The equine shelter at Ashari. Picture: Courtesy www.animalcrusaders.org Hit in the head by a bolt gun, and served for dinner in Japan, France and Belgium. That's the fate of thousands of horses being slaughtered in Texas, US, for human consumption, according to recent reports. True, horsemeat is not hot on our menu. Yet, retired police horses or injured racehorses are traditionally " put down " in Calcutta, be it for want of stable space or resources for maintenance of the animals. In a refreshing deviation, the Riding School of the Police Training College, Barrackpore, has moved to put a stop to this unkind practice. It has asked animal hospital-cum-shelter Ashari to take care of 14 of its retired horses ( " unfit for police duty " ) till death. In a letter to People for Animals (PFA), which runs the vet hospital in Mukundapur off the EM Bypass, G.C. Dutt, special inspector-general and deputy inspector-general of police (training), Police Training College, Barrackpore, asked the trustees of the NGO " the cost of taking care of these horses until death " . The " subject " of the letter (Memo No. 2355/CDI, dt. 30.08.06) " Destruction of Horses " itself is a poignant reminder of the fate such " unfit " horses have been suffering till now. " This is an extremely heartening move and hopefully, will be an eye-opener for many other institutes saddled with infirm animals, " Debasis Chakrabarti, managing trustee, PFA Calcutta, told Metro. Chakrabarti wrote back to Dutt saying: " Your letter expressing the kind gesture of sheltering the retired police horses " until death " merits compliments and gratitude on behalf of all animal crusaders. " The NGO sent a team to Barrackpore to assess logistics of transporting the horses and the process is now " awaiting the completion of necessary paperwork " . The horses will be kept in an " exclusive free-roaming paddock " (5,000 sq ft, with a 1,000 sq ft shed) with provision for walks inside the 4.4-acre Ashari campus. Towards maintenance cost, PFA suggested that the police provide the feeding expenditure of Rs 32 per day per horse. " As we provide free treatment to all the rescued animals, the same will be our responsibility, " Chakrabarti wrote. The hospital-shelter had placed a similar proposal before Royal Calcutta Turf Club to send retired and injured racehorses to its facility, instead of resorting to euthanasia. Most of the retired racehorses are sold by the owners to riding schools, amusement parks, police or the army for parades. Only injured horses with no takers are put down. This is where Ashari wants to step in and " give the condemned animals a new lease of life " . -- Copyright � 2006 The Telegraph. For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search feature on the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the list archives at: aapn Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list at aapn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2006 Report Share Posted September 14, 2006 Indeed it is a great achievment in the history animal welfare in India. Throws some hope for the day when the thousands of Mules, Donkeys and Ponies from the same family may accorded full respect by theirs owners after they become unfit for use, as thought of by the Riding School after they retire from work. It is truly a pathetic site to encounter them every moment in the nooks and corners of the barren streets of perhaps every single town / city in India. Bleeding, handicapped and helpless in their last days. It is something I always wondered why there has been no ammendments to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in India since its inception way back in 1960, to find a way of getting some sort of a pension for the retired working animals. Either we do away with using animals for human interest or we pay them pension as we do for the humans after retirement. As simple as that. Azam Siddiqui -- aapn , " Dr.Chinny Krishna " <drkrishna wrote: > > Beautiful - thanks Ashari on behalf of all of us. > > S. Chinny Krishna > > > debasischak [debasischak] > Thursday, September 14, 2006 6:54 AM > aapn > Cc: animals; animalcrusader > Retired Police Horses > > > http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060914/asp/calcutta/story_6736624.asp > > Thursday, September 14, 2006 > IN TODAY'S PAPER > Calcutta > CITY NEWSLINES > Metro > THE TELEGRAPH > Calcutta > > Condemned horses get a lease of life > SUBHRO SAHA > > The equine shelter at Ashari. Picture: Courtesy www.animalcrusaders.org > Hit in the head by a bolt gun, and served for dinner in Japan, France and Belgium. That's the fate of thousands of horses being slaughtered in Texas, US, for human consumption, according to recent reports. > > True, horsemeat is not hot on our menu. Yet, retired police horses or injured racehorses are traditionally " put down " in Calcutta, be it for want of stable space or resources for maintenance of the animals. > > In a refreshing deviation, the Riding School of the Police Training College, Barrackpore, has moved to put a stop to this unkind practice. It has asked animal hospital-cum-shelter Ashari to take care of 14 of its retired horses ( " unfit for police duty " ) till death. > > In a letter to People for Animals (PFA), which runs the vet hospital in Mukundapur off the EM Bypass, G.C. Dutt, special inspector-general and deputy inspector-general of police (training), Police Training College, Barrackpore, asked the trustees of the NGO " the cost of taking care of these horses until death " . > > The " subject " of the letter (Memo No. 2355/CDI, dt. 30.08.06) " Destruction of Horses " itself is a poignant reminder of the fate such " unfit " horses have been suffering till now. " This is an extremely heartening move and hopefully, will be an eye-opener for many other institutes saddled with infirm animals, " Debasis Chakrabarti, managing trustee, PFA Calcutta, told Metro. > > Chakrabarti wrote back to Dutt saying: " Your letter expressing the kind gesture of sheltering the retired police horses " until death " merits compliments and gratitude on behalf of all animal crusaders. " > > The NGO sent a team to Barrackpore to assess logistics of transporting the horses and the process is now " awaiting the completion of necessary paperwork " . The horses will be kept in an " exclusive free-roaming paddock " (5,000 sq ft, with a 1,000 sq ft shed) with provision for walks inside the 4.4-acre Ashari campus. > > Towards maintenance cost, PFA suggested that the police provide the feeding expenditure of Rs 32 per day per horse. " As we provide free treatment to all the rescued animals, the same will be our responsibility, " Chakrabarti wrote. > > The hospital-shelter had placed a similar proposal before Royal Calcutta Turf Club to send retired and injured racehorses to its facility, instead of resorting to euthanasia. Most of the retired racehorses are sold by the owners to riding schools, amusement parks, police or the army for parades. > > Only injured horses with no takers are put down. This is where Ashari wants to step in and " give the condemned animals a new lease of life " . > > > > > > > -- > Copyright � 2006 The Telegraph. > For more information on Asian animal issues, please use the search feature on the AAPN website: http://www.aapn.org/ or search the list archives at: aapn > Please feel free to send any relevant news or comments to the list at aapn > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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