PeTA claims buffaloes were treated cruelly at Kambala

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Instances of cruelty to buffaloes were recorded by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA) India during Kambala (buffalo race) event held at Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada district on Saturday.

A press release from PETA said they will petition the court, urging it to strike down the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, on Monday. The amendment allows Kambala and other bullock-cart races in the state.

PETA said a majority of the 100 buffaloes which were forced to participate in the race were beaten and prodded with wooden sticks and their tails were pulled.

"Some buffaloes had marks on their body, indicating that they had been beaten before the race. Buffaloes with bloody wounds were forced to participate in the race. Many of the buffaloes which finished the race frothed at the mouth, salivated heavily and displayed increased respiration rates, demonstrating that racing is unnatural to them and extremely hard on their bodies," the release said.

"Groups of five to six people forced buffaloes to take their positions on the race course. The animals were pushed, beaten, pulled by their nose ropes and shouted at, causing them immense fear and distress. Some of the animals which were reluctant to participate and had laid down were forced to get up and dragged to the starting line. Many buffalo bulls had two or three tight-fitting 2 to 2.5-centimetre-thick nose ropes inserted through their nasal septum, causing them tremendous distress and pain."

"The investigation proves yet again that buffaloes are terrorised in cruel Kambala events – and no amount of regulation can ever change that, which is why the Supreme Court banned these races in the first place," said PETA public policy lead Nikunj Sharma. "Buffaloes deserve and need the Supreme Court's full protection again."