Shambo

"Shambo" (c.2001 – 26 July 2007) was a black Friesian bull living in the Hindu Skanda Vale Temple near Llanpumsaint in Wales, who had been adopted by the local Hindu community as a sacred animal. He came to public attention in April 2007, when a routine skin test for bovine tuberculosis ("Mycobacterium bovis") tested positive, indicating he may have been in contact with the bacterium that causes the disease. As a result, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said the bull should be killed.

Skanda Vale disputed the tests, and campaigned for a reprieve, expressing their belief that the sanctity of all life is the cornerstone of Hinduism. They have been backed in this stance by the Hindu religious community at large. Farmers supported the government's policy that cattle which tested positive to the skin test be destroyed in the interests of other local cattle.

The decisions to issue a slaughter notice and to proceed with the slaughter were challenged on judicial review before the Administrative Court of the High Court, which quashed both decisions. The judge, His Honour Judge Hickinbottom, sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge, ruled that the government had failed to carry out the balancing exercise required by Article 9 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (freedom of religion). [ [http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2007/1736.html Suryananda, R (on the application of) v The Welsh Ministers [2007 EWHC 1736 (Admin) (16 July 2007) ] ] The Judge's decision was promptly appealed by the Welsh Assembly Government. The Court of Appeal upheld the appeal on 23 July2007, and ruled that it was lawful to destroy the bull. [ [http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2007/893.html Surayanda v The Welsh Ministers [2007 EWCA Civ 893 (23 July 2007) ] ]

Skanda Vale was notified that Shambo would be taken away for slaughter on 26 July 2007 at 8 am. Veterinarians arrived at the temple at 08:50 on 26 July accompanied by police and other officials, but without a cattle truck to remove Shambo. They were refused entry by the monks because they had no warrant, and left to obtain one from a local magistrate. A warrant could not be issued until they had been refused entry, according to "The Guardian".Weaver, Matthew. [http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/archives/2007/07/26/shambo_to_the_slaughter.html "Shambo to the slaughter"] , "The Guardian", 26 July 2007.] One of the monks said "They will have to physically desecrate a temple to get him ... we will be having an act of worship in front of where he is. If the Welsh Assembly Government want to take him out of there, they will have to interrupt an act of worship." [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6916077.stm "Shambo slaughter vets turned away"] , BBC News, July 26, 2007.] "Our religious laws prevent us from assisting in the killing of any life and so we will not help the inspectors remove Shambo." [ [http://www.hfb.org.uk/Default.aspx?sID=45&cID=196&ctID=43&lID=0 Shambo to be killed tomorrow - Hindu Forum of UK media release] ] At 2:00 pm the officials returned with two warrants which gave them permission to enter within one calendar month, but failed to gain access to the bull. At about 4:00 pm, police used bolt cutters to get through the gate and move their vehicles - including an animal trailer and four riot vans. The bull was removed from the site at around 7:25 pm, after protesters had been removed, who had come from as far away as New Zealand and Switzerland. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/6916077.stm BBC News update] ] The animal was taken to a local abattoir for slaughter. Officials confirmed on 27 July that Shambo had been slaughtered. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6918618.stm "Officials confirm death of Shambo"] , BBC News, 27 July 2007]

Campaign to save Shambo

The Hindu community launched an international campaign to save him, arguing that to kill Shambo would be equivalent to taking a human life. Temple monks said they would form a human chain to save him, asking on their website: "If a member of your family is suspected of getting TB, does the government kill them, just in case?" [http://www.skandavale.org/Downloads/Question%20and%20answers%20shambo.pdf Shambo FAQs by Skanda Vale] ] They collected over 24,000 names on a petition asking the government to issue a reprieve. [http://www.wevaluelife.org/ Skanda Vale petition] .] [http://www.skandavale.org/shambo.htm "Shambo"] , Skanda Vale website.]

anctity of life in Hindu tradition

According to Skanda Vale, the sanctity of all life is the corner stone of Hinduism. Ramesh Kallidai, secretary-general of the Hindu Forum of Britain, writes that the cow and bull are given a sacred place in Hindu culture as a mark of respect. The cow symbolizes motherhood through the offering of milk, and the bull represents the father who tills the soil and provides grain. Kallidai writes that most Hindus consider bovicide to be equivalent to matricide, and that "go raksha" (cow protection) is an important part of the Hindu faith. [Kallidai, Ramesh. [http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ramesh_kallidai/2007/07/on_the_horns_of_a_dilemma.html "On the horns of a dilemma"] , "The Guardian", July 3, 2007.] According to Mahatma Gandhi, “One can measure the greatness of a nation and its moral progress by the way it treats its animals. Cow protection to me is not mere protection of the cow. It means protection of all that lives and is helpless and weak in the world. The cow means the entire subhuman world.” [ [http://www.himalayanacademy.com/basics/tenq/hindu10questions.pdf Himalayan Academy] ]

Controversy about the test and treatment

Shambo tested positive during a routine skin test in April 2007. According to Skanda Vale, tests done on Shambo are not accurate enough — they said it was "extremely unlikely" that Shambo was infected. David Taylor, a vet who examined Shambo, has said, "he is a very healthy bull, with no symptoms of TB. It would be an absolute crime to put that animal down." He also argued that the tests were completely subjective. [http://www.skandavale.org/videos/video.wmv David Taylor interview] , Skanda Vale website (wmv video file). ] The Welsh assembly refused to carry on a second test to confirm exposure to bacteria [ [http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=2b4b0c52-2951-4d1b-954c-7811554092ab&ParentID=e906de03-c839-4ab7-bc1f-a4f2af2b9282&&Headline=Shambo+the+bull+to+be+killed+today Hindustan Times report] ]

According to a report by the Welsh Assembly, whether an animal is suffering from TB can only be shown by post-mortem examination or by microbiological analysis after death, but they say the test for exposure to the bacteria that cause the disease is 99.9% accurate and is recognized by the European Union and by the World Organisation for Animal Health.PDFlink| [http://www.assemblywales.org/hom-pdfviewer?urldat070626-e Wales assembly report] |19 KB]

Against this, Skanda Vale argued that, if Shambo had bovine TB, he could be treated using antibiotics. The temple asked the government to grant permission for the treatment to proceed.PDFlink| [http://www.skandavale.org/Downloads/Question%20and%20answers%20shambo.pdf Shambo FAQs by Skanda Vale] |80 KB] The Welsh Assembly argued that, since there are no antibiotics licensed in the UK for treating bovine TB in cattle, there would be no way of testing whether he had been cured. PDFlink| [http://www.assemblywales.org/hom-pdfviewer?urldat070626-e Wales assembly report] |19 KB] However, Skanda Vale argues that cows are successfully treated for bovine TB in India.

Position of the main political parties and farmers

Three parties represented in the Welsh Assembly — the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Plaid Cymru — called for Shambo to be destroyed, arguing that he posed a danger to other animals. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6732635.stm "Parties demand Shambo's slaughter"] , BBC News, June 7, 2007.] There are 50 animals within the grounds of the temple, including cattle, water buffalo, and an elephant.

Andrew Dismore, Labour Party Member of Parliament for Hendon, tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons: "That this House expresses concern at the decision of DEFRA inspectors, that Shambo the bull, part of the herd kept at Skanda Vale Hindu temple and monastery must be slaughtered; recognises this to be a matter of utmost importance to the Hindu community, with some 90,000 pilgrims annually visiting Skanda Vale from around the country, who regard such slaughter as an act of desecration; and urges the Government to use its discretion under s34 of the Animal Health Act, 1981, to reprieve Shambo." [ [http://www.hinducounciluk.org/newsite/circulardet.asp?rec=36 "Hindu Council UK Calls for Reprieve for Shambo the Sacred Bull"] , Hindu Council UK, undated.]

David Miliband, the former Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) confirmed in his official blog that the matter came under the jurisdiction of the Welsh Assembly, not the House of Commons. [http://www.davidmiliband.defra.gov.uk/blogs/ministerial_blog/archive/2007/05/11/9431.aspx Shambo] entry on David Miliband's blog, 11 May 2007]

The farming community expressed support for the government's decision to 'destroy' Shambo, citing the 5,220 cattle culled in Wales in 2006, and the 20,000 in the UK in total, as a result of the TB test. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6902231.stm Farmers angry as Shambo is spared] ] The vice president of the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW), said "We have to follow the rules like everybody else and I won't say we don't have sympathy because you know the farmers who've lost cattle do sympathise".

High Court decision and appeal

On 15 July 2007, Deputy High Court judge Gary Hickinbottom ruled that slaughtering Shambo would be unlawful, since the two slaughter orders had failed to give enough weight to the rights of the monks. He ruled that killing Shambo would violate the human rights of the Skanda Vale community, which has a right to "manifest" its religious faith, according to Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights ("right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion"). A spokesman for the Farmers' Union of Wales called the ruling "ludicrous," arguing that it "contradicts the principles upon which successful TB eradication programmes throughout the world have been based for generations."Alleyne, Richard. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/17/nbull117.xml "Uproar as Shambo the sacred bull is reprieved"] , July 17, 2007.]

On 23 July 2007, the Court of Appeal upheld the Welsh Assembly Government's appeal. Lord Justice Pill said former rural affairs minister Jane Davidson acted lawfully when she refused to make an exception for Shambo as a sacred bull. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/6911378.stm "Shambo slaughter backed by courts"] , BBC News, July 23, 2007.]

Offer of a home in India

On 26 July 2007, the Govardhan Charitable Trust, a sanctuary for cows in Maharashtra state, India, wrote to the temple offering Shambo a home. The Trust appealed to the Welsh Assembly to refrain from killing Shambo until the Trust can arrange for the government of India to approve the import. The Trust's letter quoted Mahatma Gandhi: "We should be willing to refuse to live if the price of living be the torture of sentient beings." [ [http://www.skandavale.org.uk/Downloads/Swami%20Shri%20Suryanandji.pdf Letter from the Govardhan Charitable Trust] , 26 July 2007.] Transportation for Shambo was organised by a supporter from Switzerland.

Aftermath of slaughter

After the slaughter of the bull, Skanda Vale community leader 'Brother Alex' threatened that a "nightmare" was just beginning for the Welsh Assembly. Secretary General Ramesh Kallidai said "Ignorant people have chosen to desecrate our temple and have chosen to destroy life unnecessarily," and he wanted "to check how agricultural law can cater to the needs of sacred animals in Hindu temples in Britain". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/6918618.stm Officials confirm death of Shambo] ]

The Welsh Assembly Government subsequently announced that postmortem examination of Shambo did reveal lesions typical of TB. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6918618.stm |title= Shambo's lesions 'typical of TB' |accessdate=2007-07-27 |date=2007-07-27 |work=BBC Wales |publisher=BBC ]

The Hindu Conference of Canada has expressed shock and dismay at the decision of the Welsh government.

On August 20, Tory Rural Affairs spokesman Brynle Williams demanded the immediate slaughter of other potentially infected animals at Skanda Vale, and the assembly government said test results are due soon and that it will move "swiftly" if necessary. [ cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/6953912.stm|title= New slaughter call after Shambo|accessdate=2007-08-20 |date=2007-08-20 |work=BBC World |publisher=BBC ]

More Skanda Vale bullocks which had tested positive for TB were slaughtered on 24 August 2007 [http://www.skandavale.org/shambo.htm] .

Gangotri

On December 13, 2007, RSPCA inspectors and a government vet arrived at the Bhaktivedanta Manor temple in Hertfordshire and administered a lethal injection to Gangotri, a 13-year old cow. Gangotri had damaged her hind muscles and could not stand, although she was not suffering from any disease. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/14/ngangotri114.xml Telegraph article] ] The temple, donated in 1973 by George Harrison, runs The Cow Protection Project, a no-kill shelter where cows and bulls are allowed to die naturally. The RSPCA claimed that a cow was killed to prevent further suffering, however Temple officials claim that

"Two veterinary surgeons, one who lived locally and the other a specialist based in Oxford, were regularly supervising the cow’s medical treatment. They were administering medicine themselves, and also guiding the daily care being given by the community members. It is normal farming practise that once a cow is down or cannot walk, she will be killed by the vet because, within a few weeks, physical complications will arise that most farmers don’t have the time to deal with. As a religious community, we made the choice to care, and those two vets chose to support us. Two other vets, who were unfamiliar with the way we work with animals, one of whom was merely a passer-by, gave different opinions. At first, the chief vet responsible for animal welfare in the appropriate government department, known as Defra, also gave a recommendation that the cow be killed. When he made a personal visit to the temple however, and saw how the animal was being cared for, he informed us that no further action would be taken". [ [http://www.justiceforgangotri.org/myths-and-facts/ Myths and Facts ] ]

The temple officials are considering legal action against the RSPCA over its actions [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3047068.ece Times Online Article] ] .

On December 26, 2007, about 200 people protested at the RSPCA headquarters in Horsham, West Sussex, while another 700 Hindus held prayers at the Manor. [ =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7160055.stm Hindus protest over cow slaughter] ]

Critics feel that the RSPCA is trying to suppress the rights of all Britons by disallowing anyone to care for their pets beyond the point of an owner guaranteeing a recovery and that the RSPCA infringes upon the rights of pet owners on how best to care for their pets. [ [http://www.justiceforgangotri.org/myths-and-facts/ Myths and Facts ] ] .

Notes

Further reading

* [http://www.skandavale.org/shambo.htm "Shambo"] , Skanda Vale website.
* [http://www.wevaluelife.org/ "Skanda Vale Petition to Save Shambo"] .
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6240806.stm "Shambo 'likely to face slaughter'"] , BBC News, June 26, 2007.
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/6916077.stm "Shambo to be taken for slaughter"] , BBC News, July 25, 2007.
* [http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/tb/index.htm Bovine tuberculosis (bTB)] Defra, UK