Pony Mukta’s owner was happy for Animal Rahat to replace his tonga (a passenger cart) with an auto-rickshaw, improving his ability to feed his family, and his long-overworked pony is now enjoying grooming, cantering about freely, and meeting new friends. And six more ponies will never be beaten and forced to run in street races again after our friends at PETA India worked with officials to shut down the illegal activity and win custody of the equines. The only running Gautam, Atri, Agastya, Vishwamitra, Vashisht, and Bhardwaj will be doing now is toward piles of fresh food and bowls of tasty treats at our refuge.

It was one warm welcome when bullock Kiran left his heavy cart at the Miraj market yard behind and was ushered into his new home with an edible flower garland and sweet jaggery treats. Tranquility, kindness, and companionship will be the hallmarks of his life now, since staff also helped his former owner mechanize. In another exciting development, I believe I persuaded a sugar factory to make this the last year they will use their remaining 70 bullock carts as  mechanization efforts continue. We’ll see!