Indian Court Bans Religious Animal Sacrifices

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Animal rights activists in India are celebrating as a court has banned all animal sacrifices in a northern India state.

“No person will sacrifice any animal in any place of worship. It includes adjoining lands and buildings,” the court of Himachal Pradesh ruled on Monday. “Sacrifice causes immense pain and suffering to innocent animals. They cannot be permitted to be sacrificed to appease a god or deity in a barbaric manner.”

As part of an age old tradition, animals like sheep and goats have been slaughtered in India at the beginning of winter for the Hindu deities. The animals are stabbed with a knife across the temple. The court stated the number of sacrificed animals are in the thousands every year.

But not everyone was pleased with the court’s decision. State lawmaker Maheshwar Singh accused the ruling of going “against the age-old beliefs and customs of many people.”

The ban was proposed by animal rights activists who claimed the outdated practice had no place in modern society.

“We welcome this ban on animal sacrifice as it will end centuries of cruelty to animals in the name of religion,” said local activist Rajeshwar Negi.

Via The Guardian

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