Mounting concerns over stray cattle roaming the busy streets of Puducherry

Cattle roaming freely on Puducherry streets pose dangers to pedestrians and animals, prompting rescue efforts and enforcement of fines.

The practice of allowing cattle to roam on the busy streets of Puducherry has not only become a concern for pedestrians but to animal lovers as well because these free-ranging animals themselves are increasingly falling victims to accidents and health hazards.

People rearing cows, bulls, and buffaloes in the town continue to ignore the advisory of the Local Administration department to not let the animals feed on the streets of Puducherry because of the lurking dangers. With the trend continuing, more and more animals are getting injured due to vehicle hits and falls.

On Thursday morning, a milch cow while trying to enter the lush green campus of Tagore Arts College at Lawspet, got its front leg stuck between the iron pipes of the cattle guard installed on the approach to the main gate. Morning walkers and security of the college alerted the Fire and Rescue Services personnel for rescuing the animal.

A team from the Fire department that turned up at the spot first tried to cut through the iron pipes of the cattle guard. However, after failed efforts, the personnel began using hammers to widen the gap in between the iron bars to help the animal pull out its leg. As a precautionary measure, the fire service personnel had even reached out to the Puducherry Airport management for using their high-tech cutter machines to remove the metal bars.

“Luckily, we could rescue the cow before the animal suffered any injury. These kind of accidents involving stray animals are on the rise. Recently, a stray cattle fell into a storm water drain and we had to rescue it,“ said a fireman attached to Gorimedu Fire Station.

According to a government veterinarian, animals getting trapped in cattle guards are common as they try to enter private and government properties for green fodder. “Letting these animals, especially milch cows, out in the open for feeding is cruelty to the animal. The owners don’t want to spend money for the fodder. They allow the animal to feed on the streets. It also creates health problems to the animal as they end up eating garbage containing plastic bags and indigestible food items left on the streets,” the veterinarian said.

It has become a common sight in the town where herds of stray cows and buffaloes roam freely on the thoroughfares and interior roads causing hindrance to vehicle flow. Several two-wheeler riders have sustained injuries after their vehicles skid on the road because of cow dung. Traffic police personnel said that there have been several accidents involving stray cattle.