Seven camels being sold for Eid sacrifice rescued

Authorities, with the help of animal welfare NGOs, rescued seven camels that were allegedly being sold for illegal sacrifice in the Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Monday.

The animals were rescued by the authorities with the help of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India after they were alerted by Save Animals Value Environment (SAVE).

“After learning that seven camels were reportedly being sold for sacrifice ahead of Eid through a video that was circulating on social media, Devinder Kaur Madaan of SAVE alerted the local authorities and PETA which led to the animals’ rescue,” PETA India said in a statement here.

All seven camels have been entrusted to the Dhyan Foundation for rehabilitation and lifelong care.

The Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, state that only sheep, pigs, cattle, goats, poultry, fish, and rabbits are permitted to be killed for meat, PETA said, adding that camel slaughter is not allowed in India.

It is worth noting that camels are not native to Kashmir and are not traditionally sacrificed during Eid al-Adha. However, some cattle traders have been importing camels for Eid sacrifice for nearly a decade.