AWBI directs varsity on killing infected cattle

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 10 (PTI) The Animal WelfareBoard of India has directed the Thrissur-based KeralaVeterinary and Animal Sciences University not to transport andkill "cruelly" 84 heads of cattle that has been tested for’seropositive to brucellosis,’ a deadly zoonotic disease. "The board gave the direction in a letter to theRegistrar of the University," M Jayachandran, member of KeralaAnimal Welfare Board said in a statement here today. "Infected cattle should be killed following theprinciples of euthanasia. It is unacceptable for a scientificinstitution like Kerala Veterinary and Animal SciencesUniversity to ignore disease in animals and risk publichealth," he said. The cattle at the University’s Thiruvazhamkunnu cattlefarm at Palakkad tested positive about two years ago, it wasstated. The Board advised the university not to transport theinfected animals to its campus in Mannuthy, Thrissur and notto kill them without following the guidelines of euthanasia. Transporting and killing them without precedinganesthesia, would be in apparent violation of The Preventionand Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals(PCICDA) Act, 2009 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(PCA) Act, 1960, it was pointed out. AWBI in its advisory further stated that brucellosisis a notifiable disease as per Section 4 of PCICDA. The failure of the university to report the incidencefor the last two years, and the failure of the Keralagovernment in notifying the disease and declaring the affectedarea with an objective of preventing, controlling anderadicating the disease risks the health of workers and thegeneral public. AWBI also advised the university to officially reportthe disease immediately and urged that the state governmentmust notify the disease and declare the affected area. Consumption of raw milk and cheese made from raw milkis the major source of infection in humans. PTI JRK/LGK BNRCBKK