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PETA urges Malaysia to act against Indian beef

A US animal rights group on Thursday appealed to Malaysia, the biggest buyer of Indian beef, to pressure New Delhi to treat its cows better before they were slaughtered.

The Virginia-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals group said it had video footage shot in India which showed cows being subjected to cruelties in their breeding, transportation and slaughter.

The footage showed tails of cattle being broken and chili peppers and tobacco being rubbed into their eyes before slaughter. Other injuries to cows included smashed pelvises and suffocation while being transported on lorries, it added.

"We would like to see the cattle treated humanely, just the basics," PETA president Ingrid Newkirk told a news conference after meeting Malaysian officials on the issue.

"We are calling on Moslem religious leaders, the Malaysian government and conscientious consumers worldwide to demand Indian cattle be treated in a humane manner," she added.

She said Muslim Malaysia had been vigilant in rejecting Indian exporters who did not slaughter cows according to Islamic religious rites.

According to PETA, Malaysia is the top importer of Indian beef with imports valued at $52 million a year. Other importers of Indian beef include the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

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