PETA India reports that a new Ministry of Environment and Forests notification in The Gazette of India says that bulls can no longer be used as “performing” animals.
The decision comes shortly after PETA supporter Hema Malini sent a letter to Jairam Ramesh, the former Minister of Environment and Forests, in support of PETA’s campaign to end jallikattu. This decision means an end to the cruel “sport” of jallikattu, in which terrified bulls are kicked, punched, jumped on, dragged to the ground and otherwise tormented. It also means an end to bull races. In such races, bulls are commonly beaten with sticks, which often have nails protruding from them.
The announcement comes during PETA India’s case at the Supreme Court calling for the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Jallikattu Act No 27 of 2009 – a state law that permits jallikattu under the guise that the bulls are performing animals – to be struck down on the grounds that threatening and attacking animals cannot be termed as “performance” and that the cruelty which is inherent in jallikattu is a violation of the national Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960. Now the use of bulls for performance is completely prohibited.
In order to enforce the law – PETA ask people to email Info@petaindia.org if they see anyone using bulls for performance.
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