Ahead of the wedding season in India, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has started alerting the public to the cruel practice of using painful spikes to control horses at India n weddings.
Horses are traditionally used in Indian weddings for the arrival of the groom’s procession, called a ‘baraat.‘
PETA has erected billboards in Lucknow, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai talking about the cruel treatment meted out to the horses when used in the tradition.
PETA India Senior Campaign Coordinator, Radhika Suryavanshi, said, “Spiked bits are torture devices that can injure and traumatise horses for life. PETA India is asking couples to have a heart for horses and leave them out of their wedding day plans.”
PETA India inspections have found these torture devices embedded deep in the horses’ mouths, causing extreme pain, psychological trauma, and lifelong physical damage, even though they are prohibited under the law.
Many conscientious grooms are now opting for horse-free processions, including plain walking to the venue, or opting for fancy cars or even helicopters to signal their entrance.