(IN) (Action Alert) Thane anti-venom lab's lethal dose to horses

[Guest guest]

All AAPN Members,

 

On 'World day for animals in laboratories' & Mumbai Mirror exposed

the cruelty inflicted on Lab Animals in Khoni Village, Thane District.

All Animal Rights activists & NGO's are requested to write a strong letter to

below addresses asking strong action to be taken against belowmentioned lab.

 

1. Mr. Anjani Kumar

CPCSEA (Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision on

Experiments on Animals)

8th Floor, Jeevan Prakash Bldg.

Kasturba Gandhi Marg,

New Delhi - 110 001.

Tel: 011-23381498/23318553.

 

2. The District Collector - Thane

Head - Committee for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Collector Office Building,

Court Naka, Thane (West) - 400 601

 

3. Secretary - Animal Welfare Board of India

awbi

 

4. For our reference, you can send a copy to PAWS office also.

PAWS - A-18, Savitri Sadan, Dr. Mukharji Road, Dombivli (East) 421201,

Dist. Thane

nilesh

 

 

Regards,

 

Nilesh Bhanage

http://www.pawsasia.org/ <http://www.pawsasia.org/>

" Hands that help are holier than lips that pray. "

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http://www.mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article & sectname=News -

City & sectid=2 & contentid=20100424201004240304132612fa4a015

 

Thane anti-venom lab's lethal dose to horses

 

Mirror stumbles upon instances of glaring cruelty at a facility which

uses the animals to produce serums

 

By Yogesh Sadhwani

Posted On Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 03:04:13 AM

 

Today (April 24) as campaigners from across the world mark World Day for

Animals in Laboratories, Mumbai Mirror exposes mass scale irregularities

at Bharat Serum Vaccines Pvt Ltd's Khoni animal farm which houses around

500 horses.

 

ABOVE AND BELOW: A VIDEO GRAB SHOWING STAFFERS AT BHARAT SERUM VACCINES

PVT LTD'S PERFORMING A POST-MORTEM ON A HORSE

IN THE OPEN

 

 

THE POST-MORTEM IS BEING CONDUCTED IN FRONT OF OTHER HORSES, WHICH IS

AGAINST THE RULES

 

 

The farm blatantly violates several provisions of the Committee for the

Purpose of Control and Supervision on Experiments on Animals (CCPSEA),

which governs all such facilities in india.

 

Located 30 km from Mumbai, the farm produces anti-snake venom,

anti-rabies serum, anti thymocyte globulin, among other vaccines in

which horses are extensively used. We went around the farm clandestinely

and found that the list of violations here is endless.

 

* The facility is overcrowded with most of the horses kept out in the

open. As per CCPSEA guidelines all animals must be kept in controlled

environments, protected from harsh climatic conditions.

 

* Some of the animals were bleeding, with filth all over the place,

another violation of the guidelines. The crammed stables were poorly

ventilated.

 

* Rules say horses which can no longer be used for production of

vaccines should be kept in a special old age home. At the Khoni farm

most horses are left out in the open.

 

* We obtained a video of a post-mortem being performed on a horse 10

days ago. The animal had been cut open in the exercise area where other

horses were roaming around. Once the post-mortem was done it was dumped

into the grave dug in the middle of the exercise area, all this in clear

view of over two dozen horses.

 

Animal activists say that in such facilities as per Slaughter House

Rules 2001 and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act one animal cannot be

slaughtered in front of others and carcasses cannot be opened before

them. " This is a clear case of cruelty, " said Nilesh Bhanage, Founder of

Plant and Animals Welfare Society. Amisha Veera, trustee of People for

Animals, added, " The dead animals ought to be cremated or buried in a

manner that they do not spread infection.

 

Rules say the carcasses must be handed over to Maharashtra Pollution

Control Board (MPCB) for proper disposal. " Veera was also one of the

nominees on CCPSEA panel that used to keep a tab on the Khoni farm till

2008.

 

Bharat Daftary, chairman and managing director of Bharat Serums admitted

there is no facility to keep old or retired horses. " We will start a

facility within a year, " he said. As for the post mortem being conducted

in the open and animals randomly buried anywhere on the farm he said,

" It is a very serious concern. We will assure that such things do not

happen in the future and we will take concrete measures immediately, " he

added.

 

Dr Gautam Daftary, managing director of the company said that the

unhygienic conditions at the farm were largely due to labour problems.

" Our workers have been on a partial strike for a month because of which

place is not getting cleaned. But now we have made arrangements. "

 

Anjani Kumar, director of Animal Welfare Board, Ministry of Environment

and Forest said, " Labour troubles are no reason for them to not care of

animals. We will initiate action against them. "

 

HORSES LEFT OUT IN THE SUN AT THE KHONI FARM

PICS: PRASHANT NARVEKAR

 

 

 

Not the first time

In October 2008, CCPSEA nominees submitted an extensive report citing

several such issues at the Khoni farm. " It is sad that no action was

taken against the farm then. Cruelty to animals has continued ever since

without any check, " said Amisha Veera, an ex-nominee.

 

The two nominees were shown the door after they exposed the company.

Since then no one has been appointed to monitor the company and ensure

that guidelines are not flouted.