(IN): Govt brings out plan for mercy killing of elephants

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Link:

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080041530 & ch=2/17/2008\

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*Govt brings out plan for mercy killing of elephants*

 

Press Trust of India

Sunday, February 17, 2008 (New Delhi)

The government has formulated guidelines for mercy killing of elephants

suffering from debilitating injury in a bid to relieve the animal from pain

and distress.

 

The move has come in the wake of the case of Arundhati, an aging elephant,

which died after suffering for long due to a fractured leg in Uttrakhand

late last year.

 

While authorities debated over the mercy killing, the pachyderm went through

severe agony in the process and died before it could be put to sleep.

 

''It was a sort of wake up call for us. To ensure that such incidents do not

repeat and animals do not suffer for long due to incapacitation. The

guidelines have been chalked out,'' AN Prasad, Director of Project Elephant

of Environment Ministry said.

 

''The norms will help the Chief Wildlife Wardens of the state to take quick

and correct decision in case they come across cases of injured jumbos whose

treatment is impossible,'' he said.

 

Prasad said, ''It is proposed that euthanasia of elephants may be carried

out only in the specific circumstances when the elephant is in such agony or

pain that it is cruel to keep it alive.''

 

The government has set up a panel comprising experts from veterinary field,

animal welfare NGOs and Zoos, which will give approval whether the animal

can be put to sleep or treatment can ensure its cure.

 

Three prominent veterinaries each from College of Veterinary Sciences in

Assam and Centre for Studies on Elephants in Kerala and one from IVRI in

Izzatnagar in UP will represent the panel, Prasad said.

 

Guidelines stipulate ensuring carrying out of the procedures following

proper review and in the most efficient, ethical and professional manner.

 

Chief Wildlife Wardens have been given option to choose from two methods,

depending on the animal's condition and availability of infrastructure as

recommended by American Association of Zoo, veterinaries and Debra Bourne,

senior veterinary editor of Wildlife Information Network in UK.

 

''Euthanasia in elephants can be primarily carried out as a two-stage

process involving heavy sedation or anesthesia followed by intravenous

injectable pharmaceutical (lethal agent).

 

''The procedure includes administration of sufficient sedative or anesthetic

agent such as Xylazine hydrochloride/ etorphine hydrochloride to induce

recumbency and unconsciousness,'' explained Prasad.

 

Other method recommends usage of barbituric acid chemical for inducing

euthanasia smoothly with minimal discomfort to the animals, he said.

 

 

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