Animal Cruelty in the Name of Tourism and Tradition: Why Compassion Matters
Animal cruelty is not always about loud acts of violence. Many times, it hides behind practices that society has normalized in the name of tradition, tourism, and utility. Across India, countless animals suffer silently—horses, mules, cows, and buffaloes—while people look away, forgetting that these living beings have as much right to dignity and care as humans do.
Exploitation of Horses and Mules in Tourism
At several religious and tourist destinations, weak and injured horses and mules are forced to carry visitors up steep paths. Be it hill shrines or pilgrimage sites, these animals are often overworked beyond their physical limits.
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Exhaustion and injury: Many of these animals suffer open wounds, untreated fractures, and painful sores caused by heavy saddles and repeated rides.
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Lack of rest and care: Instead of receiving proper food, water, and medical aid, they are pushed into back-to-back rides to earn their owners money.
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Invisible suffering: Tourists may enjoy a scenic ride, but they rarely realize the animal beneath them is silently enduring immense pain.
Choosing entertainment or convenience over compassion has turned this cruelty into a routine practice at many sacred destinations—ironically places meant to promote kindness and spirituality.
The Forgotten Fate of Cows and Buffaloes
Another grim reality lies in the plight of cows and buffaloes. While worshipped as sacred, their treatment often tells a different story.
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Discarded after utility: The moment these animals stop giving milk, many owners abandon them on the streets, considering them “useless.”
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Roadside struggles: Left to fend for themselves, these animals wander in search of food and water. They often end up eating plastic and garbage, which causes deadly blockages in their stomachs.
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No medical attention: Injured or sick, they receive no veterinary care and slowly die painful deaths on our roadsides.
This stark contrast—revering them in rituals while neglecting them in reality—reflects how convenience often outweighs compassion.
Why Are We Failing as Humans?
The root of this cruelty lies in indifference. Animals are voiceless; they cannot protest, organize, or demand rights. This silence makes it easy for humans to exploit them—whether for money, utility, or entertainment. Compassion has become conditional, limited only to when an animal serves our needs.
But can we truly call ourselves humane if we continue to ignore their suffering? A society that disregards the pain of the voiceless reflects a deep moral failing.
The Way Forward: Choosing Compassion
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As tourists: Refuse to ride injured or overworked animals at tourist spots. Opt for eco-friendly alternatives like trekking, ropeways, or battery vehicles.
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As citizens: Support organizations and shelters that rescue abandoned cattle. Encourage stricter laws against animal abandonment.
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As humans: Practice empathy daily. Offering water, food, or even just care to a suffering animal can make a world of difference.
Final Thought
Cruelty towards animals is not just about their suffering—it is a reflection of our collective humanity. The question we need to ask ourselves is simple: Do we want to be remembered as a society that exploited the voiceless, or as one that finally chose compassion over convenience?
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