Angul: An ailing black horse deserted by its compassionless owner finally gave up Thursday after struggling for life for many days at Rantlei in this district.
According to locals, a person from Madhya Pradesh used to stay at a camp near fodder grass farm in Panchamahala village under Rantlei panchayat. During his stay, he had been using his horses in marriage programmes and earning handsomely.
About a fortnight ago, one of his horses went sick. The owner had little remorse for the horse, which had been earning him money when it was in good health. Without arranging for its treatment, he left the place, leaving the animal to die.
Noticing the sick horse roaming helplessly in the locality, the Rantlei Jungle Sahi people tried to treat it, but failed. The animal finally breathed its last near the national highway.
As the news broke, locals started searching for its owner and came to know that he had already left for Cuttack taking the rest three horses along with him.
“How can a person leave an animal with which he has spent a good length of time for something as simple as falling sick,” asked the locals, cursing the ruthless owner.
On the other hand, the forest department says it has nothing to do with domestic animals.
A veterinary officer said, “A horse falls sick due to various reasons. If a horse does not get its required quantity of food, it becomes weak and then suffers from diseases like TB. Yet, the diseases can be cured and the animal can be healthy again.”
“Leaving a sick animal to die amounts to crime but hardly ever an owner is punished for meting out such treatment to livestock and pets. This is among the chief reasons why there are many instances wherein owners neglect and desert their pets when they become old or are affected with diseases,” he pointed out.
PNN