Aligarh:
They were meant to speed on race tracks. Instead, they were left to die. Last week, 49 thoroughbred race horses were rescued from a stud farm in Aligarh, 130 kilometres from Delhi.
An NGO called Friendicoes acted on a tip-off and rushed a team to the Doaba stud farm where they found the horses - gaunt, wounded and starving. The staff at the farm reportedly said that there were 70 horses at the Aligarh farm, including some stallions imported from other countries, but several had died.
The rescued animals were brought to a farm in Gurgaon, where six more died.
Locals in Aligarh allege that the owner of the farm, a man called Yadavendra Singh, had stopped buying food for the horses or paying his staff on the farm eight months ago. Left without food, the horses were feeding on the straw on which they stood.
Mr Singh has reportedly been in the breeding business for two decades. It is not yet clear why he abandoned the horses.
In response to leading animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, who had called him, Mr Singh wrote, "Due to weed poisoning, we lost some animals at our breeding unit. We have been trying to salvage the situation with horses who survived. These horses have been shifted to another unit and the breeding unit is since closed."
An animal rights activist has filed a case in an Aligarh court of cruelty to animals against Mr Singh, who applied for bail, but later allegedly went underground fearing arrest.
The horses are currently being treated for dehydration and other ailments at the Gurgaon farm. "We need help in cash or kind. I need food, medicines, supplements that need to be given to the horses. Any help that we can get will be welcome," says Geeta Seshmani, Vice President, Friendicoes.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:If you would like to make a donation to help the horses, here are the details of Friendicoes' bank account:
Cheques to be made in the name of Friendicoes SECA. For donation of more than Rs 3000, pick-ups can be arranged. Please drop a SMS to 9818201987.
For funds transfer:
Indian donations can be sent to -
Friendicoes SECA
STATE BANK OF INDIA
Savings bank A/c.No.1015120-8004
IFSC Code -SBIN0007196
MICR Code-110002034
Branch code (07196)
(Foreign Donations FCRA approved account)
Friendicoes-SECA
STATE BANK OF INDIA
Savings Bank A/C.No.1015120-2954,
Swift Code-SBININBB382
IFSC Code -SBIN0007196,
MICR Code-110002034
Branch-(07196)
Beneficiary Address
FRIENDICOES -SECA
271& 273 Under Defence Colony Flyover (Jangpura Side),
Defence Colony Flyover Market (Jangpura Side),
New Delhi -110024. India
Ph.no.011-24314787/24320303/24320707
Note: This information has been provided/published on a good faith basis, without any commercial motive. NDTV does not vouch for the authenticity of the claims made by the intending done, nor can we guarantee that the donations made by a donor will be used for the purpose as stated by the intending donee. You are requested to independently verify the contact information and other details before making a donation. NDTV and/or its employees will not be responsible for the same.