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ShareActivists of Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Thane, rescued two horses kept in a pathetic condition in the municipal cattle shed opposite Pragati College in Dombivli. This time, the organisation went to the extent of purchasing the animals in distress.
"Animal activists from Dombivli informed us about the miserable condition of the animals and our volunteers immediately reached the spot," said Nilesh Bhanage, founder of PAWS. The animals were under-fed with their ribs sticking out, and one of them had lost the use of a foreleg, he said.
Kalyan-Dombivili Municipal Corporation authorities had confiscated six abandoned horses last month. "Of the six, four were claimed by owners. But no one turned up to claim the remaining two horses as they were old and lame," Bhanage added.
Considering the condition of the animals, the volunteers decided to send them to a private farmhouse in Lonavala. "The biggest problem was purchasing the animals from the municipal corporation, since they were in its custody," said Mansi Bhanage, trustee of PAWS. "We decided to purchase the horses and transfer them for further treatment."
When local residents came to know the horses were being relocated, they objected thinking that officials wanted to kill the animals. When the situation got out of hand, the relocation had to be done under police protection.
"The horses have serious wounds on their back, indicating that they belonged to a tonga owner. When horses are unable to pull the cart, the tonga owner simply abandons them," Nilesh Bhanage added. After their transfer to Lonavala, the horses will be given proper treatment, exercise and nourishment.
