For the thousands of animals who were goaded into making the grueling, days-long trek to the fair, Animal Rahat’s rest camps were a welcome reprieve.

All along the route from Maharashtra to Karnataka, owners stopped to rest their animals at Animal Rahat campsites, and the more than 6,000 weary bullocks and ponies were grateful for the free veterinary care, time out, and nourishment our staff provided. Staffers demonstrated humane handling techniques and confiscated lots of spiked bits, nose ropes, whips, and other illegal torture devices. Teams reminded the owners that overloading and beating animals is punishable by law. Don’t miss the sweet pony’s delight below, after hours of trudging on hard, rutted roads, as she relished rolling on the soft ground at one of the sites!

Thanks to the team’s hard work encouraging owners to take the bus and subsidizing their fare, there was a decrease in the number of animals pulling carts compared to previous years. While their families enjoyed the view from the highway, 2,500 bullocks and ponies were at home resting!