Target: K Venkatesh, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Government of Karnataka, India
Goal: Halt any expansion or state-backed promotion of Kambala unless and until robust, independently verified safeguards prevent cruel practices—such as beating, tail-twisting, and forcing exhausted buffaloes to race—and ensure prosecutions where abuse is suspected.
Animal-welfare observers have documented buffaloes being tethered for long periods without adequate water, prodded and struck to make them run, and dragged by nose ropes to the start of Kambala races. Footage and on-the-ground reports have shown animals frothing at the mouth, breathing laboriously, and suffering visible distress during and after sprint heats. When events are staged far from coastal areas—where long transport is involved—buffaloes endure additional stress before being forced to race on slush tracks.
Multiple investigations have purportedly captured handlers twisting and pulling tails, jabbing animals with sticks, and pushing spent buffaloes to continue. In some cases, longer tracks outside the traditional belt have produced severe physiological strain, with observers describing heavy salivation and collapse-like fatigue. These descriptions point to practices that would appear inconsistent with India’s animal-protection laws and with basic standards of humane treatment.
State recognition and wider commercialization risk normalizing cruelty if credible guardrails are not in place. Independent veterinary oversight, enforceable welfare rules, prompt penalties for violations, and strict limits on transport and track length are essential. Sign below to demand the government pause expansion, require public reporting and third-party audits, and ensure swift prosecution where abuse is suspected. Only when humane standards are independently verified—and consistently enforced—should Kambala receive state support or promotion.
PETITION LETTER:
Honorable Minister Venkatesh,
Reports and video evidence have shown buffaloes in Kambala being beaten or prodded, their tails twisted or pulled, and exhausted animals dragged by nose ropes to race starts. Observers have further described buffaloes frothing at the mouth, exhibiting labored breathing, and showing signs of acute distress during sprints, especially where longer tracks and long-haul transport are reportedly involved. These practices raise grave concerns under India’s animal-welfare framework.
Expanding or publicly promoting Kambala without ironclad safeguards risks enabling cruelty. Commercial pressures can incentivize speed over welfare, and animals pay the price. Humane sport cannot include tail-twisting, striking, or forcing distressed animals to run. Transparency and accountability—through independent veterinarians on-site, enforceable protocols, and immediate penalties—are essential to prevent abuse.
We respectfully urge your office to (1) halt any expansion or state-backed promotion of Kambala pending independently verified welfare safeguards; (2) mandate on-site, independent veterinary oversight with stop-race authority; (3) set strict limits on transport, track length, and handling, with real-time monitoring; (4) require public reporting of injuries, enforcement actions, and outcomes; and (5) pursue prompt prosecution where abuse is suspected. Karnataka can honor tradition without tolerating suffering—please ensure that no buffalo is beaten, twisted, or forced past exhaustion in the name of sport.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Naveen Kumar Manne
