As elephant Saumya’s brutal death is communalised, what does it say about India’s animal policies?

While captive elephants are worshipped, they are subjected to a life of forced hard labour and torture.

Rajesh Kasturirangan

 & 

Alok Hisarwala

· Jun 06, 2020 · 06:30 am

Despite a decade-old Supreme Court order, nobody is really looking after India’s stray animals

Not a single state in India has a fully-functioning animal welfare board.

Mayank Aggarwal

· Mar 17, 2020 · 01:30 pm

Paw-n of war: Military dogs are honoured as heroes, but given no protections under law

Despite their widespread use in war, military dogs have hardly any legal rights. As a matter of fact, the US labels them as ‘equipment’.

Shireen Daft, The Conversation

· Oct 31, 2019 · 11:30 pm

It’s not enough to know if chickens are suffering in captivity. We need to find out if they’re happy

Understanding happiness in poultry could tell us how to improve its housing.

Mary Baxter, The Conversation

· Aug 05, 2019 · 11:30 pm

Mumbai: With 400 dogs and cats abandoned at new airport site, animal rescuers struggle to cope

When residents of 20 villages at the project site were relocated over the past year, they left behind pet and stray animals without any food or water.

Aarefa Johari

· Jun 11, 2019 · 09:00 am

Kerala temple festival: As ban on celebrity elephant is lifted, spotlight moves to stress on animals

On Saturday, the district administration revoked its ban on the tallest elephant in the state from participating in the Thrissur Pooram temple festival.

TA Ameerudheen

· May 12, 2019 · 06:30 am

Maharashtra: Supreme Court refuses to stay shooting order for man-eating tigress

The six-year-old animal, along with her two cubs, has allegedly claimed at least nine lives in Yavatmal’s Ralegaon forest.

Scroll Staff

· Sep 11, 2018 · 11:00 pm

The Uttarakhand High Court said animals have legal rights like humans – but who’s enforcing them?

The judgement might have brought the thinking about law on ecosystems forward, but there is no clarity on how such a law may apply.

Omair Ahmad

· Jul 28, 2018 · 01:30 pm

Uttarakhand High Court declares the animal kingdom a legal entity

The ruling gives birds and animals the rights, duties and liabilities of a living person.

Scroll Staff

· Jul 04, 2018 · 09:32 pm

Madras High Court allows mercy killing of ‘guarded to grave’ elephant at Salem temple

The bench said only the most humane methods should be used if a veterinarian finds that the 42-year-old animal could not be cured of her ailments.

Scroll Staff

· Apr 17, 2018 · 02:06 pm

Indonesian zoo under fire after video shows orangutan smoking a cigarette

The endangered Bornean orangutan picked up and started smoking a cigarette that was thrown into its enclosure by a visitor.

Scroll Staff

· Mar 08, 2018 · 12:48 pm

Naruto, the monkey who clicked his selfies, becomes Peta’s 2017 Person of the Year

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said it was honouring the macaque to recognise that ‘he is someone, not something’.

Scroll Staff

· Dec 06, 2017 · 05:38 pm