Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 18: A pregnant cow died on September 18 after nearly a week of treatment following an alleged injury while being transported to the Dollygunj Kanji House, raising questions over cattle handling, veterinary care and facilities available for treating large animals.
The issue came to light after the cow’s owner raised concerns over its condition and treatment. The owner said the cow was pregnant and had been undergoing treatment after municipal personnel allegedly found it outside the designated area, caught it and transported it to the Kanji House before contacting the owner.
The owner alleged that municipal personnel do not have proper ramps for loading and unloading cattle and that animals are sometimes forcibly loaded and made to jump from a considerable height while being unloaded. The cow allegedly suffered a serious leg injury, possibly a fracture, during the process.
The owner also raised concerns about the unborn calf, saying its condition was not examined at the appropriate time to establish whether it was alive. The owner later learned that the calf had also died.
The cow remained under veterinary treatment for nearly a week before dying on September 18. Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray subsequently visited the Kanji House and sought details from concerned officials and veterinary personnel.
During the visit, questions were raised with the veterinary doctor over the cow’s leg injury and why an X-ray had not been conducted. The doctor reportedly said X-ray equipment was available for small animals but there was no suitable facility for large animals such as cattle. The absence of large-animal diagnostic equipment meant the exact condition of the cow’s leg and whether it had suffered a fracture could not be confirmed through X-ray.
The wider concern over veterinary care was also raised by Jagat Rao, who questioned the availability of treatment for animals. Referring to rabies and veterinary care, Rao said that while injections and medicines are available in some cases, there is a lack of comparable treatment facilities for animals. “So, why isn’t there an injection for a normal human being?” he asked, while clarifying that he was not a doctor.
Questions have also been raised over Kanji House charges. Owners reportedly pay around ₹2,500 for larger cattle and around ₹1,500 for smaller cattle in certain cases, while prolonged stays can reportedly involve expenses of ₹10,000–₹12,000 a month. The owner further alleged that cattle receive inadequate feed, with grass being the main provision.
Municipal Secretary Kameshwar Rao was present during Ray’s visit and discussed the incident and concerns over cattle handling and care.
The allegations have not been independently established. The circumstances leading to the cow’s injury and death, the death of the unborn calf and any procedural lapses require official veterinary assessment and, if ordered, a departmental inquiry.
