Beauty Without Cruelty

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1997-2009

With specific goals in mind BWC has sincerely carried out its work, however kept a low profile. Most tasks undertaken have been difficult, often seemed impossible to achieve, but frustration has never made the organization give up. Sticking to facts, a persistent follow-up and constantly looking for new ways to achieve its aims has led BWC to success in many instances.

1997

Dissection made Optional in Schools
BWC was one of the first organizations which during the 1980s seriously took up the issue of dissection in educational institutions. Finally in response to a petition supported by BWC and other organizations, a Delhi High Court judgment received in May 1997 ruled that School students have a right of choice whether or not to dissect living creatures.

Value Based Education
BWC was invited twice in 1997 by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources Development to submit its views on Value Based Education. BWC emphasized that reverence for life was a value of such fundamental importance that it was an essential factor in the development and promotion of many other important values. BWC recommended that immediate steps be taken by the Government of India for its implementation so that the next generation and generations which follow would positively benefit from it.

So-called ‘Humane Trap’ Voted Against
In 1997, BWC approached the Director, Food & Agriculture, Bureau of Indian Standards concerning India’s stand to vote against the proposed standards of the so-called ‘humane trap’ being promoted by ISO.

Ostrich Farming Stopped
In 1997 BWC led a public protest and letter writing campaign in Bengaluru (Bangalore) against the setting up of ostrich farming in India. The support of the Karnataka State Forest Department had been obtained because the project had the potential to harm the environment and carry the risk of spreading disease. This was soon followed by the Chief Minister of Karnataka’s verbal assurance that “this government will not allow any projects that have the potential to harm the environment or cause disease” referring to the Congo fever problem in ostrich farming and the possibility of another bird flu case like in Hong Kong. BWC along with the local residents of the village of Shirur in Maharashtra carried out a successful public awareness campaign in July 1998 against the setting up of an ostrich farm with the help of a Belgian collaboration.

1998

Elephant Show Stopped
A persistent follow-up by BWC resulted in revealing the illegality of the Elephant Show (a circus within a sanctuary) at Mudumalai, and in 1998 the Government ordered it to be immediately stopped.

Animal Sacrifice-free Village
In 1998 BWC succeeded in persuading the inhabitants of the Udbur village in Karnataka against ever sacrificing hundreds of goats on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.

Export of Deer Antlers Banned
In 1998 export of manufactured articles and shavings of shed antlers of deer were prohibited by the Director General of Foreign Trade, Government of India. This was in response to representations made by BWC 1992 onwards. Along with shed antlers, hundreds of deer were illegally killed to meet the export demand.

Ban on “Dhiro” Continued
In 1998 despite a High Court judgment banning “Dhiro” (bull fights) in Goa there was a move to legalize them by amending the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ Act which was stopped through the efforts of local bodies and BWC who immediately sent appeals to organizations and individuals in India and abroad requesting they write to the Prime Minister.

Alternative Learning Programs in Schools
In 1998 Compu-Program sets were donated to 170 State Government run schools and 17 Municipal Corporation schools in Tamil Nadu jointly by the Blue Cross of India and BWC.

1999

A Vegetarian Lifestyle
BWC has over the years promoted reverence for all life – dogs and chickens alike. In keeping with its motto BWC – India came out in its 25th year (1999) with a publication entitled “A Vegetarian Lifestyle”. It covered all aspects of our lives and included brand names of packaged consumer products made as per BWC criteria.

2000

Few Dancing Bears
Thousands of leaflets on performing bears were printed and distributed in 2000 to foreign tourists visiting Delhi in a joint effort by The Captive Animals’ Protection Society, UK and BWC India. Tourists were urged not to stop and watch so that if there were no patronizing tourists there would be no more performing bears. A few years later not a single dancing bear was found on the Golden Triangle (Delhi-Jaipur-Agra) road route.

Live bait Not Used
In 2000, BWC had got to know that a lion census was planned at the Gir National Park and that live bait (calves) would be utilised. In response to our protest, the Gujarat Chief Minister’s office assured us that live baits would not be used. However, as it so happened, the census was cancelled due to early, heavy rainfall!

2001

Veg/Non-veg Symbols on Packaged Foods
Consumer organisations and those working for vegetarianism like BWC kept approaching the Government of India pointing out that it was the right of each and every consumer to know whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian ingredients were used by manufacturers in processed foods and so the PFA Act should be amended. BWC’s first appeal was in 1978. Eventually in 2001 a Government Notification made it mandatory for manufacturers to use a symbol consisting of a colour filled circle/dot inside a large square in brown colour for non-vegetarian packaged foods and in green for vegetarian articles.

Mini-Zoos Shut Down
In 2001 due to lack of recognition by the Zoo Authority of India as many as 64 mini-zoos and parks including traveling ones were shut down. Objections against mini-zoos had been registered periodically over the years after several of them had been investigated.

2002

Laws Protecting Animals
In 2002 special poster entitled “Laws Protecting Animals” was printed and distributed to the Police authorities to display in Maharashtra State.

Meat Lobby Plans Thwarted
Strong objections were sent by BWC in 2002 to the Prime Minister, Planning Commission, Agriculture Minister and the Press regarding India’s 10th 5-Year Plan which was trivialising animal killing. Also a public signature petition was organised together with like-minded organisations. The response received from the Government was very favourable as the Planning Commission totally rejected the proposals made by the meat lobby.

Animal Bristle Brushes
Most of the brushes in paint boxes used by school children were Indian sable/mongoose (protected under wildlife laws) hair till BWC complained to the Government of India. In 2002 almost simultaneous nationwide raids with the help of the Wildlife Trust of India, yielded hair of at least 50,000 illegally killed animals. Hog bristles used for making wall painting brushes, although still available, have to a great extent lessened in demand as against non-animal bristle brushes. This BWC thinks is due to the adverse publicity given to the barbaric manner in which the pigs are held down underfoot and their hair yanked out and the fact that non-animal bristle brushes are now cheaper and readily available.

2003

Mass Publicity cum Education
In 2003 during the Pratishtha ceremony of a new Jain Temple at Palitana in Gujarat, BWC was requested by the trustees to put up a stall and it remained up for nearly a fortnight educating lakhs of persons. Telling and informative publicity materials have gone a long way in creating a public awareness of unknown cruelties inflicted upon animals for food, clothing, accessories, household goods, items for sports, entertainment, learning, medicine, research, religion, and so on.

Pigeons Saved from Fatal Kite String Injuries
However careful, when flying a kite, the sharp glass-coated string/manja can unwittingly severely wound birds. It cuts their wings, bodies or feet so deep it results in profuse bleeding, often gruesome death if beheaded. BWC witnessed this at Mumbai’s kabutarkhana/pigeon shelter on Makar Sankranti 2003 and came to the conclusion that although not intentional, flying kites does harm birds. The solutions, including that Government should not declare Makar Sankranti a holiday so less people would fly kites on the day, were widely circulated in the city by BWC, i.e. not to fly kites in crowded areas or near bird colonies, and not to use manja/glass-coated string. The happy outcome was that on Makar Sankranti 2005 hardly one injury case arose and was brought for treatment as kites were being flown, presumably without manja/glass-coated string, on open grounds and away from tall buildings.

2004

Setting up of Mechanised Slaughter-house Cancelled
In 2004 the Amravati Municipal Corporation planned to set up a mechanised slaughter house. This decision was opposed by the workers of Pashudhan Bachao Samiti. BWC also supported and helped them. Ultimately the AMC declared cancellation of their decision.

2005

Camel Sacrifice Stopped
In 2005 some BWC members in Kochi found that two camels had been brought to Kochi for feasting on camel meat during Ramzaan Idd. On receiving their complaint the Kochi Corporation banned their slaughter. The owner of the camels approached the Kerala High Court but before the case could conclude one of the camels died due to poor living conditions and an improper diet. The judgement pronounced that the other camel could not be slaughtered on the grounds that there was no provision for slaughtering camels within the corporation limits, no qualified vet to certify its fitness for slaughter or suitability of its meat for human consumption, and no one licensed to slaughter or sell camel meat.

2006

Animal Sacrifices Stopped
On the eve of Dassera 2006 BWC with the help of the Mumbai Police managed to convince people who planned to sacrifice sheep, goats and cocks at the Gaodevi Mandir on Amboli Hill, not to engage in animal slaughter.

ANo Animal Gifts
In 2006, BWC was approached by foreign animal activists for help to stop the transfer of an elephant called Djanom from Punjab to the Zoo in Belgrade. The animal was being gifted to them by Maharaja Randhir Singh (Secretary General of the Indian Olympic Association). BWC immediately approached the Central Zoo Authority of India and the Additional Director General of Forests (Wild Life)/Director (Wild Life Preservation) who was heading the CITES Management Authority in India. It made BWC happy that the elephant could not be sent abroad as gifting and exchange of wild animals abroad was banned at the time.

2007

Varkh/Silver Leaf Manufactured Without Animal Skin
BWC has since 1982 publicised the fact that silver beaten between ox-gut or sheep/goat epidermises cannot be vegetarian. In the early 1980s BWC was successful in convincing the Indian Airlines to stop serving their passengers varkh coated mithai. In 2007 a manufacturer invited BWC to Jaipur to see how he had begun making varakh without animal skin. It was also tested by mithai makers and found to be quite satisfactory. At last long last BWC could recommend a varkh made without animal skin to mithai manufacturers.

2008

No More “Live” Dinners for Lions at Gir
Once again in 2008 the issue of live bait arose at Gir National Park. “Lion Shows” were organised: a buffalo/cow calf was tied to one end of a long rope, whereas the other end of the rope was attached to a tractor. As soon as a lion approached the calf, the tractor drove down the hillock (where the tractor and calf were waiting) dragging the animal which made the lion along with other lions run after it. The rope was then cut off and the lions attacked, killed and ate the poor traumatised calf while tourists watched. BWC approached the Chief Minister of Gujarat, drawing his attention to the terribly gruesome show and pointing out that the Forest Department was hand-in-glove with the villagers/farmers who supply and tie down calves and buffaloes as live bait for the Gir lions in order to attract tourists and also cheat the State Government by claiming compensation for their ‘lost’ or killed cattle.

Bullock-cum-Horse Cart Races Forbidden
For decades BWC opposed not only bullock cart racing but also bullock-cum-horse cart races in blatant violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Political patronage was the main reason why the cruelty continued, however the Ahmednagar SPCA appealed to the Mumbai High Court and the 2008 judgement forbids bullock-cart-horse-cart races.

Fewer Snakes tortured on Naag Panchmi
Snakes are worshiped on Naag Panchmi. Even in large cities, each snake during the course of the day is hundreds of times subjected to being sprinkled with rice and halad-kumkum (turmeric and red coloured powder) and given milk which snakes never drink. For the safety of humans many of them have had their mouths stitched. It is fortunate that BWC and several other NGOs, and may be the Government too have done something fruitful to put an end to this torture of wild life that clearly attracts the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 1991 because in 2008, very few snakes were seen in cities like Mumbai and Pune on Naag Panchmi.

2009

Veg/Non-veg Symbols mandatory on Carbonated Waters
As a result of BWC's continuous appeals to the Government to make it mandatory for carbonated waters to also carry the veg/non-veg symbols, these symbols began being affixed by manufacturers on their drinks.

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