Centre lays down policy on cattle dehorning & castration

Centre lays down policy on cattle dehorning & castration

Subject: Environment

Section: Environmental Law

Context: Sixty-three years after the implementation of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in 1960, the central government on March 27, 2023 laid down the procedures for dehorning cattle and castration, branding or nose-roping of any animal.

More on the News:

• The procedures were earlier undefined under Sections 11 and subsection 3 of the Act, which made it difficult to prevent cruelty against animals.
• Section 11 defined the acts that amount to treating animals with cruelty. But subsection 3 allowed exceptions for animal husbandry procedures, which involve dehorning cattle and castration, branding and nose roping of animals in a prescribed manner.
• The new law was announced through a notification and defined how painful procedures such as castration of bulls, horses and other animals are to be carried out.
• All procedures are to be carried out with the involvement of a registered veterinary practitioner, along with the mandatory use of general and local anesthetics.
• The existing methods involve pushing a bull to the ground to use a castrator sans painkillers. The castration method involves crushing the blood vessels, nerves and vas deferns to cause the testicles to become defunct.
• The rules also demand animals be blindfolded to reduce stress levels, laid on soft ground, and given post-surgical care. Tagging, branding and radio-telemetry devices should be placed on dead tissues, the law has suggested.

Prevention of cruelty of animal act 1960:

• The act prohibits any person from inflicting, causing, or if it is the owner, permitting, unnecessary pain or suffering to be inflicted on any animal.
• The act provides for punishment for causing unnecessary cruelty and suffering to animals.
• Section 2of the act defines animals and types of animals like domestic or captive animals.
• Section 4 of the act provides for the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory advisory body for animal welfare and protection of animals from unnecessary suffering and pain.
• The act mentions forms of cruelty, exceptions, and killing of a suffering animal in case any cruelty has been committed against it, so as to relieve it from further suffering.
• The act also provides the guidelines relating to experimentation on animals for scientific purposes.
• An animal cannot be exhibited or trained by any person, if:
  • Such a person is unregistered as per the provisions of this chapter;
  • Such an animal has been barred from being included in any performance by the Central Government through a notification in the Official Gazette.
• This Act provides for the limitation period of 3 months beyond which no prosecution shall lie for any offences under this Act.

Animal Welfare Board of India:

• The Animal Welfare Board of India is a statutory advisory body on Animal Welfare Laws and promotes animal welfare in the country.
• Established in 1962under Section 4 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 (No. 59 of 1960), the Animal Welfare Board of India was started under the stewardship of Late Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale, well known humanitarian.
• From ensuring that animal welfare laws in the country are diligently followed, to provide grants to Animal Welfare Organizations and advising the Government of India on animal welfare issues, the Board has been the face of the animal welfare movement in the country.
• The Board consists of 28 Members.
• The term of office of Members is for a period of 3 years.
• The Board was initially within the jurisdiction of the Government of India’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture. In 1990, the subject of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was transferred to the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Again it got transferred to Ministry of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying.
• Headquarters shifted to Ballabhgarh in Faridabad District of Haryana from Chennai, Tamil Nadu.