Nagaland Prohibits Manufacture and Trade of Illegal Spiked Bits Used to Control Horses Following PETA India’s Appeal

Following an appeal from PETA India, the Nagaland Directorate of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services issued a circular calling on chief veterinary officers to ensure the manufacture, trade, and use of illegal spiked bits, which are used to control horses, is stopped. PETA India’s appeal referred to a letter issued to states and union territories by the government body the Animal Welfare Board of India that directed them to prohibit the manufacture, trade, and possession of these devices.

Spiked bits sink deep into horses’ mouths and cut their lips and tongues, causing extreme pain and lifelong damage. Rule 8 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Draught and Pack Animals Rules, 1965, framed under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, prohibits the use of “any spiked stick or bit, harness or yoke with spikes, knobs or projections or any sharp tackle or equipment”, yet spiked bits are commonly used to control horses forced to work at weddings, give rides, haul carriages, and lug goods.

Recently, the governments of Andaman and Nicobar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Ladakh, and Meghalaya also issued letters urging action on PETA India’s request to prohibit the manufacture, trade, and use of spiked bits.

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