A seriously injured cow, believed to have been hit by a vehicle and left with a crushed leg, was recently rescued by locals in the Tirthan Valley. While the animal was fitted with an official identification tag, the case has exposed glaring loopholes in animal accountability laws, sparking outrage among residents.
The rescue unfolded when residents concerned found the injured cow abandoned by the roadside. Although the authorities used the identification tag to trace the animal back to its registered owner —Simra Devi of Langna village in Mandi district — she reported that she had already sold it. Further inquiries revealed a convoluted chain of subsequent sales, ultimately leaving no one legally responsible for the animal.
Despite the tag, neither the Animal Husbandry Department nor local authorities could legally determine who was liable for the cow’s desertion, care or medical treatment.
“This incident is deeply troubling because it shows the system is broken,” said Aditya, a local resident who witnessed the rescue. “The tag was supposed to ensure responsibility, but it has become merely a procedural formality. If a tagged animal cannot be linked to an accountable owner, the system isn’t serving its purpose,” he said.
A growing regional crisis
Activists and residents note that this is not an isolated incident. Across the district, abandoned cattle—many bearing official tags—are becoming a common sight.
Local municipal councils and the Animal Husbandry Department currently lack the adequate legal teeth to penalise violators. As a result, owners continue to desert cattle with impunity, knowing the paper trail of undocumented secondary sales shields them from liability. Locals are now calling for stronger mechanisms to maintain strictly updated ownership records.
A new home, but questions remain
For now, the rescued cow has found sanctuary. It was adopted by the Sunshine Himalayan Cottage in Tirthan, where owner Ankit Sood has taken full responsibility for its rehabilitation. A veterinary team has since treated the animal, applied a plaster to its crushed leg, and initiated a course of antibiotics.
While this particular animal has found safety, the incident has left a deep impression on the community, serving as a stark reminder of a system failing to protect the vulnerable animals it was designed to track.