Artificial insemination is cruelty: Madras HC

Artificial insemination is cruelty: Madras HC

Sureshkumar.k@timesgroup.com

Chennai:  03.09.2021

Artificial insemination of native breeds of cattle denies mating rights of those animals, and also amounts to cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, Madras High Court said, urging authorities to avoid the process.

“Artificial insemination deprives of bulls and cows the pleasure of mating which they are entitled to naturally. Reproduction by natural process is a basic biological need which cannot be interfered with,” said a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran (since retired) and Justice P Velmurugan.

Denying and depriving right to copulate amounts to cruelty to animals under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the court added.

The bench also ruled that only native-breed bulls should be permitted to run in jallikattu and other bull racing sport in Tamil Nadu and imported or hybrid bulls should be prohibited from participating in such events. State veterinary department officials should certify the nativity of animals prior to the jallikattu event, bench said, and directed the state government to encourage bull owners and farmers to groom native breeds by providing subsidies.

“No bull other than native bulls can participate in jallikattu. There is an inbuilt prohibition under the Act to use other breeds, including imported hybrid/cross variety bulls, in jallikattu. In view of the prohibition, no owner or authority can allow other bulls except native bulls to participate in jallikattu,” the court asserted.

The bench was passing the order on a plea seeking to ensure that only native breeds of bulls were permitted in jallikattu, manjuvirattu, oormadu, vadamadu and eruduttu viduthal.

Artificial insemination deprives bulls and cows of the pleasure of mating, the court said