Microchips implanted in horses, ponies used for tourism objective

Horses and ponies used for riding in the Nilgiris are implanted with microchips to regulate equestrian tourism in the district.

For over a year, the district administration has tried to regulate riding and ensure the welfare of the animals. These efforts include prohibiting horse owners from offering horse rides to tourists on the city streets, as well as preventing owners who do not adequately protect their animals.

The Nilgiris Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA), the Animal Husbandry Department and Veterinarians of the World Veterinary Service (WVS-India) have started implanting microchips in horses and ponies used for tourist purposes in the city of Udhagamandalam. The microchips have ownership details of the horses so that the owners of abandoned or unkempt animals can be tracked and action taken against them.

The tourism department has assigned two places around Lake Ooty for tourists to go horse riding. This also means that the prices for horse rides are fixed and the tourists are not exploited.

Nigel Otter, chairman of WVS-India, said restricting trail rides to designated areas would ensure animals are safe and have less chance of injury, especially from traffic. Ilona Otter, WVS director for international veterinary training, implanted the microchips in the animals together with other veterinarians.

Nagina Reddy, NSPCA’s nodal officer, said the move was a collective effort by the collector that included the Udhagamandalam community, the Department of Animal Husbandry and the NSPCA. She said it aims not only to promote animal welfare, but also to secure the livelihood of horse owners. “The two designated locations are very scenic and will definitely attract more tourists,” said Ms. Reddy.

The district administration had already banned the use of retired racehorses for riding.

Owners of the horses they leave on the road could be fined and the animals confiscated, officials said.

You have reached your free item limit this month.

Subscription benefits include:

Today’s paper

In a clear list you will find a mobile-friendly version of articles from the daily newspaper.

Unlimited access

Enjoy reading as many articles as you want with no restrictions.

Personalized recommendations

A selected list of items that match your interests and preferences.

Faster pages

Switch between articles smoothly as our pages load instantly.

dashboard

A one stop shop to see the latest updates and manage your settings.

Instruction

We will inform you three times a day about the latest and most important developments.

Support quality journalism.

* Our digital subscription plans currently do not include e-paper, crosswords, and print.