Mumbai: The Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has banned the use of live animals in dissection and other experiments in educational and research institutions. But scientists conducting new molecular research will be exempted from the ban.

Animal rights protection bodies have taken a strong notice of the horrific details of deaths of hundreds of monkeys at the Gopalpur sterilisation centre in Kangra and demanded a judicial probe into the programme to contain the simian population. They have also called for a review of the programme and demanded that till that time there should be no more sterilisation of monkeys.

A notification issued by the Government of India banning the use of bulls as performing animals has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the adrenaline pumping bullock cart races at the 76th Kila Raipur Games that are slated to kick off at Kila Raipur village in Ludhiana tomorrow. Animal Welfare Board of India, (AWBI), Ministry of Environment and Forests, has written to Subodh Chandra Agrawal, Chief Secretary, Government of Punjab, asking him to ensure bullock cart races are not organised at the Kila Raipur games, also known as mini rural Olympics.

BARIPADA: Come Sankranti, this part of north Odisha is all set to raise a toast to roosters. And though there is nothing attractive about the bloodsport in which cocks get wounded and killed, that is unlikely to prevent betting on the sport. Throwing caution to the wind and ignoring police warning, organisers have, in the last couple of weeks, started buying fighter cocks. Contests are held across the district for which roosters are bred and trained by farmers. They fetch a minimum of Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000. A good breed can cost even more.

The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory body of the central government, has issued an advisory to chief secretaries of all state governments and the Indian Pest Control Association to prohibit the use, sale and manufacture of glue traps to catch rodents, as they are harmful to the animals. The board has also written to the Directorate of Foreign Trade asking for a ban on the import of these traps.

The notification issued by Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF)  dated July 11, 2011 has listed bulls among six species of animals who cannot be used as a performing animals under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

Mumbai: In light of the ministry of food and civil supplies’ failure to implement the ban on bullock carts transporting kerosene on Mumbai’s streets despite the government decision two years ago to do so, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay high court.

Gujarat High Court has ordered the release of 494 birds held captive in cages, saying that it was the fundamental right of birds to fly in the open sky and their confinement was violation of their right to live freely.

The order was passed last week by Justice M R Shah while dealing with a bunch of petitions where the issue under question was whether birds have a right to live freely and whethe

Ludhiana: The Animal Welfare Board of India has written to the district administration regarding rampant cockfighting in the city.

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