How you can help Shaktimaan the horse retire peacefully

On March 14, BJP’s MLA Ganesh Joshi reportedly participating in a protest against the Uttarakhand government, turned violent and charged at police horse called Shaktimaan, a 14-year-old Kathiawari mare. The beating with a lathi caused her to tumble and break her leg. “Because the horse’s leg is already amputated, it won’t be in service any longer. If she has to lead a healthy life, she must go to a sanctuary,” says Alokparna Sengupta, Deputy Director of Humane Society International/India.

HSI/India, along with People for Animals, Uttarakhand is raising funds on Ketto for Shaktimaan’s peaceful retirement. She will be moved to the PFA shelter where her care will be taken for the rest of her natural life.

Though in her line of profession, Alokparna is used to being informed about cases of animal cruelty, she does add, “A MLA coming out and beating the horse, is one-of-a-kind." This could be because Alokparna says, “In our country, the minimum penalty for beating, injuring or killing an animal is Rs 10.” To create long-term impact, they are working towards forming #ShaktimaanAct demanding an increase in penalties for animal abuse and cruelty.

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