Urge Authorities to Stop Illegal Rekla Races

Despite the Supreme Court's ban on rekla (or bull) races, Tamil Nadu is still permitting these barbaric spectacles with the assistance of police and enabling widespread cruelty to animals. This year, PETA India conducted an investigation of rekla races held on 21 January in Kolumakondan and on 4 February in South Kumarapalayam, exposing a disturbing trend of violence, abuse, and torture.

Bulls are naturally nervous prey animals who run only when they're scared or when their safety is threatened – which is the entire premise of rekla races. In the holding area, PETA India's eyewitnesses documented that owners and handlers dragged distressed bulls around with painful nose ropes, tethered them for lengthy periods of time, and denied them necessary food, water, and shade. Race participants even stooped to shocking the animals with nail-studded wooden sticks that had electric wires attached to them in order to agitate and frighten them before races. PETA India's eyewitnesses documented that owners and handlers shared electric torture devices to shock more bulls, and they saw that the animals became visually disturbed and tried to escape upon seeing their tormenters.

After participants roughly force carts onto unnerved bulls by yanking on nose ropes and hitting the animals, the race begins – but the abuse doesn't stop there. Screaming men riding in carts twist, pull, and bite bulls' tails in order to make them run faster, while other participants strike the panicked animals with rods and fists and jab sticks into their anuses. From start to finish, bulls are beaten, prodded, and attacked amidst shouting and chaos. Many are forced to race in the searing heat on tar roads repeatedly, and afterwards, they're not given any water, food, shade, or rest – all of which they sorely need.

Help PETA India protect bulls from torture by urging Tamil Nadu's government to enforce the ban on violent rekla races.

View Message +

Dr

M.Sai

Kumar

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Office

Dear Chief Minister,

I was upset to learn that even though the Supreme Court banned rekla (or bull) races because of their inherent cruelty to animals and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 2017, does not mention rekla, Tamil Nadu is perpetuating animal abuse by allowing these vicious events to continue in the state.

The violence inflicted upon bulls at these races is sinister at best. During PETA India's investigation of rekla races held in January and February 2018, eyewitnesses documented that owners and handlers yanked hard on nose ropes and beat distressed bulls who were dehydrated, starving, and overheated. Alarming tactics were employed to scare them into flight mode, including shoving sticks into their anuses and shocking them with crude electrical devices. Men riding in carts kept the mental and physical onslaught going throughout the race by twisting, pulling, and biting on bulls' tails and hitting the animals with their bare hands and sharp sticks.

Many bulls had no choice but to run for their lives on hard tar roads, and after the races, the roads were riddled with indentations from their hooves pounding the pavement. Some panicked bulls lost control and crashed into barricades during races, which is dangerous for both the animals and spectators, while law-enforcement officials sat idly by.

I urge you to uphold the Supreme Court's 2014 ban on rekla races and to protect the public and animals.

Sincerely,

Urging Authorities to Stop Abusive Rekla Races

Fields with an asterisk(*) are required.

First Name

Last Name

E-Mail Address

Sign up for e-mails including these:

Opt-In to PETA E-News

PETA India E-News and special announcements (English)

IMG Source

UN MIS Hidden Thank You Text w/ Social Sharing Email Info - *Important Note* You must UNLINK this shared library component before making page-specific customizations.