FAQ's

1. How can we identify animal abuse in a dairy, and what should we do?

Check for the following

Condition of the place :
Whether hygienic enough
Whether enough running water supply and ventilation is available
Whether there is a wellstocked granary, and whether green fodder is used
Whether the feed is fresh or moldy, does it contain urea?
Is the roof weatherproof, and the floor anti-slip?
Important : are there any calves around?
Is there evidence of DDT, and injection syringes…oxytocin ampoules?
Is there a proper drainage system?

Condition of the animals :
Do they look healthy and bright eyed?
Is there mastitis?
Is there evidence of rump sores from repeated injections?
Are the hooves soft and overgrown from lack of exercise?
Whether signs of heat stress are present
Are the faeces too solid, and is the urine too concentrated?
Do they flinch when handled?
Are well cows kept separate from ill ones?

A poorly managed dairy with clear evidence of mismanagement of animals, such as use of oxytocin, cruel milking techniques, insufficient food, water and exercise, can be booked under the PCA 1960, as well as the local pollution control laws and the municipal corporation acts. The Food Adulteration Act can also apply if there is evidence that the milk is tampered with.

2. How do we help check animal abuse in zoos?

First find out if the zoo is registered.
Then check the following

Housing : are the enclosures in keeping with Central Zoo Authority guidelines? Is there enough opportunity for mental and physical stimulation, are the animals at a safe distance from visitors, are they clean and well maintained? Is there access to water? Is there protection from natural elements?

Staffing : is there a full time vet? Are the staff properly trained to handle various specie types? Are visitors properly monitored, and zoo laws implemented? Are records properly maintained?

Animals : is the morbidity/ mortality range within acceptable limits? Are there too many common animals that should not be kept there? What is done with dead animals? And with new borns? Is feeding adequate and in keeping with the animal's natural clock if possible? Are they kept alone, or in the right kind of company?

3. How do I carry out a raid on an animal/bird selling market, where I know that some illegal trade in wildlife is going on?

Pose as a buyer, a very eager and stupid one. Ask questions about all the different kinds of animals and birds kept there, the cost, the care required, appearing very genuine. Then start specifically asking for unusual ones. If not readily available, ask when they could be made available. Keep a police officer primed, and go with a friend, so that in the case of a "hit", the friend can go out quickly and get the police officer, while you keep the seller occupied with more stupid questions!

4. What should I look for while inspecting a laboratory that uses animals for experiments?

Three things :

1. The condition of the animals and the animal house
2. Whether legal requirements are met
3. Whether scientific aspects are reviewed carefully

Condition of animals and housing : The INSA guidelines have been adopted by the CPCSEA regarding nature and type of housing, feeding routine, overcrowding and/or solitary confinement, breeding, disease control, and euthanasia. Look for signs of physical and mental trauma in the animals. Check whether the staff is trained to look after them, whether food and cleaning is provided round the clock including weekends. Check whether excreta passes form one cage to another, whehther ventilation, temperature and lighting is as per the animal's requirements rather than the experiments.

Legal requirements : Every laboratory using animals for experimentation must be registered by the CPCSEA, and their activities are controlled by this body, and the Gazette of India notfifcations No 544, and No 809.

Scientific aspects : It is important to check whether the experiments being conduct genuinely have some bio-medical significance, and are not just being done for a thesis. Also ckeck whether alternative testing methods can be used, or done with fewer animals, or through less or noninvasive methods, or through in-vitro methods.

5. What action can I take against a laboratory/company that is using animals for experimentation but is not registered?

First, one must provide the lab with information about registration, because it may not have the knowledge. Also, write to the CPCSEAor to the GSPCA, giving details of the lab, after having a meeting with the lab-in-charge, and properly minuting this meeting with his agreement, if possible. Thereafter, the CPCSEA will attempt to ensure its compliance with the INSA guidelines, failing which the lab can be prosecuted under Chapter 4 of the PCA, and under section 19, prohibited from carrying out further experiments.

6. How can I get children at my school to opt for "no dissection" in the laboratory?

First, make the child aware of the cruelty he/she will be a party to, by showing him/her films or literature. An aware child is 80% of the battle won.

Then present the alternatives to the child. Such as, video walkthrus of the anatomy under study, three dimensional models, related literature, and so on.

7. What are the signs of a badly managed zoo?

The condition of the animals will be the best indicator. In a badly managed zoo, they will appear unhealthy, bored, suffering from zoochosis presenting symptoms such as bar-biting, circling, coprophagy (eating their own feces), swaying, overgrooming etc. They will also look starved, with poor skin condition, and glazed over eyes. The enclosures will be small, with inadequate hygiene and temperature, noise or lighting control, with insufficient water levels for amphibians and aquatics. The animals may accept food and stimulation from visitors owing to deprivation. If there is improper discipline, visitors will be teasing, prodding and feeding the animals, throwing plastic bags around, cat calling the animals, etc. There will not be a vet on the premises, and no sign of vet medicines or equipment.

8. What are the cruelties involved in the training and transportation of Bear Cubs by the Kalandhars?

To begin with snatching a cub from its mother at a very young age completely deprives it of its ability to 'be a bear'. Nose piercing is done using unhygienic methods, to pass thru the training rope, this is the most sensitive part of the bear's anatomy. Any learning or apparent dancing is only a response to the pain of the rope tug. The cub is tied all the while, and forced to accept the company of children and adults, to overcome its fear of man and desire for solitude. They are poached by adivasis, then packed in fruit boxes with hay, and sometimes transported distances of 300 kms till they reach their eventual owner, often being traded in markets before that. The mortality rate during this period is very high.

9. How would you recognise/assess pain in (I) Primates (II) cats in a laboratory?

Primates : they show very little reaction to injury or surgical procedures and hide their pain very well. Vocalisation is not a sign of pain but of anger. At best they will look a picture of misery, their humanoid faces taking on expressions of sadness, with glassy eyes. They may moan, avoid their companions, and stop grooming. They may also get attacked by their companions. Acute abdominal pain may be shown by facial contortions, teeth clenching, restlessness, and shaking accompanied by grunts and moans, anorexia and refusal to take water.

Cats : are also very quiet when in pain, but will yowl and hiss when approached. Depending on the site of pain, the posture will be stiff eg crouching if abdominal, head tilting if thoracic, arched back with lateral recumbency if spinal, limping if limbic. A cat in severe pain will try to escape, avoid other cats, and exhibit panting, with increase in pulse. A cat in chronic pain will not groom itself, and be generally miserable.

10. I've heard about the "three R's" alternatives to animal experimentation. What are these?

Refinement, reduction, replacement.

Refinement means modifying the experimental procedure to induce as little pain and suffering to the animals as possible, through better housing conditions, stimulating material and play stations, and the use of noninvasive techniques.

Reduction means using as few animals as possible, the minimum required for statistical significance. This can be achieved by researchers sharing the body parts of a dead animal for instance, or even in vitro experiments.

Replacement is the best alternative, where the animal organism is replaced with a humane alternative, eg eyetex uses jack bean protein which has a similar structure to corneal protein.

11. What are the three categories in animal experimentation?

1.Fundamental research is usually conducted in colleges and universities, and is often totally unnecessary. These can easily be replaced with invitro techniques or the subject of study itself questioned as to its significance and then modified or stopped.

2 Regulatory testing is required in the case of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agrochemicals etc.before such products can be used by humans. Internationally, alternatives have been developed, but in India this is still mandatory, so the best route here is refinement of the process to reduce pain to the animals to the extent possible.

3 Production of immunobiologicals such as anti venom, vaccines etc requiring animals to be injected first with the virus. Again, internationally alternatives are being researched using lower organisms and invertebrates where possible, or cells and tissue cultures.

12. What are some illegal practices in animal experimentation.

1. performing experiments under contract for another party
2. performing experiments without proper registration license
3. breeding animals without registration
4. stocking of animals without following the INSA guidelines
5. performing experiments for demonstration, illustration, or repetition.