Halt illegal killing of animals: Board

The Animal Welfare Board of India, a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, has directed State governments to strictly implement animal laws for stopping illegal killing of animals during Bakrid festival.
"Take all precautionary measures to strictly implement the animal laws for stopping illegal killing of animals during Bakrid festival and direct all authorities to take stringent action against the offenders violating the animal laws," the AWBI told the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police in all the States besides the Animal Husbandry Departments.
As per Rule 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules 2001, animals cannot be slaughtered except in recognised or licensed slaughter houses, the Animal Board said.

"No animal which is pregnant, has an offspring less than 3 months old, or is under 3 months of age, which has not been certified by a veterinary doctor that it is in a fit condition to be slaughtered shall be slaughtered."
Emphasising that cruelty to any animal is a punishable offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the Board said violations were also against the spirit of Articles, 48, 48(1) and 51 A(g) of the Constitution.
The Board also quoted a Kerala High Court judgement of 2005 on slaughter of camel in Kerala, which said, "for using the meat of the animal so slaughtered, a post-mortem examination of the meat and certification by a competent veterinary surgeon are mandatory."

"It is reported that during transportation of animals, owners of the animals do not follow laws, resulting in cruelty to animals," the Board said, adding that action taken may be intimated to it.