Many animal rights organisations have highlighted the plight and cruelty of the ponies of Matheran but nothing has been done for them so far. About 12 years ago, PAWS, a Dombivli-based organisation, started helping ponies and horses by organising vaccination camps and health check-up camps.
Matheran is a popular place for tourists, located 90 km away from Mumbai. The 460 horses / Ponies and their owner-drivers at this climb or run 25 kilometers daily along the dusty roads of Matheran with tourists on their horses.
There is a high prevalence of irreversible and untreatable conditions, specifically, being made to labour on paved tracks leads to leg problems and ultimate lameness in horses and ponies.
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On 15 August 2024, Team PAWS along with the Animal Husbandry clinic headed by Dr. Amol Kamble ( M. V. Sc. Surgery) organised a Anti-Rabies Vaccination Drive for matheran work loaded ponies. Total 143 ponies were examined, given first aid & administrator Anti Rabies Vaccination. Team PAWS comprising Dr. Neetu John, Dr. Nilesh Bhanage, Rushikesh Surse & Piyush Palav helped in Drive.
Replacing horses with animal-free means will be a sustainable solution that will stop the abuse of these animals and also protect the livelihood of people involved in this business. For this demand, the PAWS organisation had written to the Matheran Nagar Parishad and demanded an electric rickshaw.
Rickshaws have started accordingly. Presently, there are 20 rickshaws and 5 to 6 rickshaws are in service. Dr. Nilesh Bhange, the founder of PAWS organisation, demanded that their number should double, which will help horses or ponies to live cruelty free lives.
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