Cruel Transport

Cattle, sheep, goats and pigs are transported to Deonar by lorry. According to Dr Vishnupurikar, animals can take up to two days in transit before reaching the facility. They come from within Maharashtra and from other states. Cattle also arrive at the abattoir on foot.

PETA has observed the following: The lorries back into the unloading area onto a concrete ramp that remains unshaded from the hot sun. Cattle are usually removed from the lorries by the use of cruel and unnecessary force, including beating and tail-breaking. Injured animals are left to the side to suffer under the heat of the sun along with the dead. No veterinarians are present during the unloading and no direction is given to the traders to stop abusing the animals. Gate attendants, guards and children within the compound also engaged in beating the animals about the rump, legs, body and face with ropes and sticks. Injuries noted by PETA investigators include broken legs, hooves, and horns; missing and bloodied eyes; broken ribs and hips and open wounds. Injured animals are ignored by veterinary staff.

The animals arrive in cruelly overcrowded lorries. Many are dead, mangled and wounded although the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act specifies the space provided per cow should be no less than 2 square metres, and specifically, the national law allows no more than six cattle per lorry. These laws, too, are ignored.

Records shown to PETA during its announced visit purporting to show that many days pass without any dead animals arriving at the slaughterhouse are belied by observation and even by Dr Vishnupurikar's claim that up to 10 dead animals arrive each day. Records of injured and dying animals arriving at the slaughterhouse are not kept by the slaughter facility. Experts observed 31 dead and severely injured cattle during their most recent visit in December 2000.

According to Chapter Three of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, if any person beats, kicks, over-rides, over-drives, over-loads, tortures or otherwise treats any animal so as to subject the animal to unnecessary pain or suffering or causes, or being the owner, permits, any animal to be so treated; or conveys or carries, whether in or upon any vehicle or not, any animal in such a manner or position as to subject the animal to unnecessary pain or suffering, he [or she] shall be punishable by the appropriate fine, and repeat offenders may be imprisoned.

This Act also requires that watering arrangements en route be made and that sufficient quantities of water be carried for emergency. It further states that sufficient feed and fodder with adequate reserve be carried to last during the journey and that adequate ventilation should be ensured. The Act requires that lorries carrying animals be equipped with anti-slip flooring, padding on the sides and suitable rope and platforms. At Deonar, these laws are all ignored.

Market and Holding Areas

Market days for cattle are Fridays and Mondays, for sheep and goats they are Saturdays and Tuesdays. However, animals arrive by lorry to slaughter on other days as well. Individual traders purchase cattle, sheep and goats from the market for slaughter.

The market consists of two holding areas, one covered, one not. The majority of animals are tethered with ropes through their noses others are loose. PETA investigators observed that no water is provided. No food is provided either, and slaughterhouse officials admit that animals are starved prior to slaughter. Some food was provided during PETA's announced visit with WSPA, HSA and CLE. Sheep and goats are kept in covered and non-covered areas, also without water. Pigs are kept in pens without water. Dead and injured animals can be found strewn across the market area, many of them suffering under the searing sun, and all ignored by the veterinary staff. PETA investigators counted 21 severely injured cattle in the market area during their most recent visit in December 2000. According to Dr Chavarkar, these animals are kept in the market area, untreated, until they die or are purchased by a trader. Even during PETA's announced visit, dead and lame sheep and goats were found in the holding area. Pigs in poor and injured condition and injured and dead pigs were found in the pigpen. There are no veterinarians in the market areas except when providing a tour, and injured animals are ignored. Dead animals are left among the healthy animals.

According to Chapter Three of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, if any person being the owner of [any animal] fails to provide such animal with sufficient food, drink or shelter; or without reasonable cause abandons any animal in circumstances which render it likely that the animal will suffer pain by reason of starvation or thirst, he [or she] shall be punishable by the appropriate fine, and repeat offenders may be imprisoned.