In a recent initiative to combat animal cruelty, PETA India, in collaboration with the Kumaon division’s animal husbandry department, seized over 100 illegal spiked bits used on horses and mules. These devices, which inflict severe pain by tearing into the animals’ mouths, are banned under the Prevention of Cruelty to Draught and Pack Animals Rules, 1965. Despite this ban, they are still commonly used in wedding processions and for transporting goods, prompting PETA to publicly display the seized items at the Govt Veterinary Hospital in Haldwani.

The outreach drive included replacing the spiked bits with humane alternatives and conducting educational sessions for horse and mule owners in the region. Tushar Kol from PETA India emphasized the suffering these animals endure due to such torture devices, while local animal welfare organization SAHARA highlighted their widespread use. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the physical and psychological trauma inflicted on equines.

Ramesh Singh Nitwal, director of the animal husbandry department, noted that several states have begun enforcing the ban on spiked bits following PETA’s outreach. The campaign seeks to close legal loopholes that allow the manufacture and sale of these devices and advocates for humane alternatives, such as vintage cars for weddings and modern vehicles for transporting goods.