'Temple elephant in Puducherry in the pink of health'

A veterinary expert from Chennai who examined the 29-year-old temple elephant Lakshmi here has found her to be perfectly healthy notwithstanding allegations of ill-treatment and violations raised by animal rights activists.

The veterinarian had been commissioned by the city administration after the Deputy Conservator of Forests issued a show-cause notice to the administrators of the Manakula Vinayakar temple after carrying out an inspection to check the veracity of controversial claims by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) that the elephant was being subjected to cruelty.

The notice issued to the Executive Officer of the temple gave 14 days to the administration to abide by the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment’s ‘Guidelines for care and management of captive elephants,’ failing which the elephant would be put under State care.

However, the veterinary expert from Chennai found the cow elephant at the Manakula Vinayakar temple in a good state of health, Veterinary Department sources said.

The veterinarian who undertook a thorough examination of the animal said there was no ground for concern about the animal’s health.

Moreover, a city veterinarian is regularly monitoring the health of Lakshmi.

The expert, however, has suggested a minor modification in the diet provided to the animal, which had returned to her temple duties in fine fettle after participating in the rejuvenation camp near Sadivayal in Coimbatore in 2012 where she got successfully treated for her foot rot disease.

(With additional reporting by P. Oppili in Chennai)

'Temple elephant in Puducherry in the pink of health'

The veterinary expert from Chennai found the cow elephant at the Manakula Vinayakar temple in a good state of health, Veterinary Department sources said.