Hyderabad, August 04: It was quite a sight as a life-sized ‘cow’ made an appearance bang in the middle of the busy Panjagutta intersection on Monday afternoon.
As curious bystanders hovered around the scene, it was revealed that the exercise was part of an awareness campaign organised by the Hyderabad chapter of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta). The event, held in protest against the use of leather by Peta chose the cow as a mascot to promote their cause of speaking out against cruelty to animals.
Insisting that tannery businesses in the city are “operated under inhuman conditions,” Peta activists raised slogans against harvesting leather from cows. Rubbishing allegations of the organisation having political leanings in their crusade against cow slaughter, spokespersons of Peta spoke to Expresso on Monday, insisting that “Peta is a secular organisation that is committed to animal abuse, and is not in anyway affiliated to any political party.” Spokespersons from the organisation added, saying that “apart from the issue of cruelty meted out to cows in the leather trade, the organisation is also campaigning for increased public support concerning the area of killing other animals for leather, which include species of goats, snakes and crocodiles in India” Peta officials indicated that apart from the usual victims of the leather trade, even dogs and cats are not spared for their hide, and the practise extends to districts in the State.
The tanneries spread throughout the city, they claimed, “are among the biggest sources of pollutants, both in the form of atmospheric emissions and solid waste, and contribute significantly to contaminating the surrounding areas with harmful additives and greenhouse gases.” As far as actual action is concerned, the activists of the organisation, founded in 1980, claimed that issues concerning captive circus animals are being presently “deliberated upon while animal testing in medical companies and cruelty in fast food chains are also being resisted through demonstrations and protests.” In this connection, the organisation claimed that apart from demonstrations and propaganda, it is “active in formulating public policies that are ‘animal friendly’. Peta, activists informed, “has sent Right to Information notices to the municipal corporations regarding the presence (or lack thereof) of Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) outlets, including major cities in Andhra Pradesh.”
–Agencies–