KATHMANDU, Dec 5: Humane Society International/India (HSI/India) and People For Animals (PFA) have urged devotees to refrain from bringing animals for sacrifice at Nepal’s Gadhimai festival.
The organizations have deployed teams along key Indo-Nepal border checkpoints to assist the Indian border security force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in preventing the illegal transport of animals for the festival on December 8.
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Gadhimai festival, held every five years in Nepal’s Bara district, is the world’s largest animal sacrifice event, where tens of thousands of animals are slaughtered. According to a press release issued by HSI/India, the joint efforts of HSI/India and PFA aim to rescue animals from this practice while promoting compassion and compliance in Indian and Nepali laws.
Arkaprava Bhar of HSI/India, emphasized in the press release that their mission is to halt illegal animal transport and raise awareness about ending ritual blood sacrifices. Teams from the organization are conducting vehicle inspections, awareness campaigns, and distributing educational materials in local villages.
Despite court orders in India and Nepal to restrict and phase out live animal sacrifices, the practice continues, posing ethical, legal, and public health concerns. Since 2014, sustained efforts by animal protection groups have significantly reduced the scale of sacrifices at Gadhimai.
