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Sacred cow a law exception
4:08pm Thursday 3rd January 2008
Comments (3)As convenor of the Hertsmere Forum of Faiths, may I use your column to express my sympathy and support for the Hindu community at the Bhaktivedenta Manor, Letchmore Heath, on the death of Gangotri, a cow in their small herd.I believe that the chain of events raises serious issues.
I question whether the RSPCA should continue to be allowed legal powers to enter premises and order the killing of animals deemed to be suffering.
I question whether considerations of suffering, difficult to assess by any objective measure, can provide the sole grounds for ending an animal's life. The accusation that this killing was ordered without proper consultation with the owners adds another worrying dimension.
Having myself recently seen Gangotri and been aware of the love and reverence with which all the animals in the community's care are treated, there can surely be no question of ill-treatment.
The central issue is whether an animal held in such veneration should be allowed to live out its natural life, in the same way as human beings.
What palliative care was offered? Is it not the case that terminally unhealthy or injured animals tend to give up on life quite quickly?
No one should be comfortable that any organisation can claim the right to enter our homes and indiscriminately order the killing of a much-loved pet against our wishes.
Those who ordered and carried out the killing of Gangotri must reflect on the outrage they have caused.
A number of exceptions are made to our laws to accommodate religious sensitivities. Here surely is another case in point.
Rev Richard Leslie
St Michael's Vicarage, Brook Road, Borehamwood
Your Say YourBorehamwood Times
Rowan Todd, London says...
7:35pm Sun 6 Jan 08
Kamlesh Patel, Surrey says...
9:55am Mon 7 Jan 08
"Worrying": many people believe the RSPCA was wrong to order the killing of Gangotri, a sacred cow at Bhaktivedanta Manor
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anthony Scott-Norman, borehamwood says...
8:53am Sun 6 Jan 08
I must say with due consideration to the wider issues that REV Richard Leslie hAS right on his side. He is informed as to the facts on the ground and is in a prime position to comment on the sensitivities. In amimal care-and the RSPCA do an excellent job they should learn to make exceptions and use discretion wisely. The temple which I once visited as mayor is a supercaring institution with supercaring people in charge. They would not have unnecessarily accepted Gangotri to suffer but what they were doing was let nature take its course. In todays paper there is a story about polar bear mothers being left not to feed their offspring. These things happen.
Anthony Scott- Norman