Baljeet Parmar / DNA

Mumbai, Aug 10: The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have asked the city authorities to extend to the entire city the ban imposed on horse rides in the vicinity of Juhu beach.

After the twin successes that PETA have tasted in banning horses on Juhu beach and elephants in the entire city, the association has written to the Mumbai District Collector IA Kundan to keep horses outside city limits.

Mahalaxmi Race Course activities have not been included in the PETA demand, as the horses are reportedly very well treated and cared for.

Juhu beach is free of horse rides since the recent ban imposed by the collector. “If the ban can be imposed in one area of the city, it must be implemented in the entire city as the reason necessitating such a ban is the same in other parts of the city too,” said Anuradha Sawhney, chief functionary of PETA.

In her letter, Sawhney said, “Our office is flooded with calls from concerned citizens who complain that horses in many parts of the city are beaten by their owners or caretakers to make them run faster.” Often the animal is whipped blue when it is struggling to pull the cart filled with people.

She said the stables were usually unkempt and unhygenic. The owners do not take these horses for veterinary check-ups or for tetanus shots, or get the horse shoes replaced from time to time to relieve the pain of the animals.