Fate of ‘sacred bull’ in judge’s hands

LONDON — Those caring for him at a Hindu monastery in Wales say he symbolizes the sanctity of all life and is an inspiration to temple-goers. Officials say he could have a contagious disease and should be put down.

After each side took their case to court Thursday, a judge said the fate of Shambo the sacred bull would be announced next week.

The six-year-old Friesian bull tested positive for bovine tuberculosis in April. Under British law, animals suspected of carrying the disease must be slaughtered.

But Shambo’s carers at Skanda Vale Hindu monastery near Carmarthen, in southwest Wales — backed by supporters from around the world — say Shambo is not sick and have been fighting to save him.

After the Welsh rural development minister Jane Davidson ruled that Shambo should be killed, the temple brought its case before the Cardiff Civil Justice Center, arguing that their religious rights were being violated. Judge Gary Hickinbottom said he would rule on Shambo’s case on Monday.

“Both sides put across very strong arguments,” said Sanjay Mistry, a spokesman for the Hindu Forum of Britain, one of the groups lobbying to save Shambo.

“I think the judge acknowledged that he’s got a difficult decision to make, and we’re hopeful that he’ll come (down) on our side.”

After receiving notice in early May that regional authorities intended to have Shambo slaughtered, the bull was isolated in a hay-filled shrine in the monastery’s main temple.

An Internet petition was set up and the monastery began a blog containing Shambo’s “thoughts for the day,” paired with a live Web cam, dubbed “Moo Tube” —— a pun on the popular Web site YouTube — which well-wishers could use to track his movements.

Hindus revere many animals as sacred, but cows have always had a special place.

They remain a powerful symbol of the religion, and many are adopted by or donated to temples so that they can be looked after.

Shambo is one of a herd of cows being kept on the 115-acre estate belonging to the monastery, known as the Community of the Many Names of God.

The monastery has fiercely defended the animal, arguing that the tuberculosis test was inconclusive, and that, even if Shambo were sick, he could be treated rather than killed.

Davidson said she was “acutely aware” of the distress her decision had caused the Hindu community, but that she had no choice but to order the animal to be put down in the interests of public health.

She argued that the tuberculosis tests used were accurate to more in 99.9 percent of all cases, and that even healthy looking cattle might be sick or even contagious.

“I have ... considered extremely carefully whether the rights of the community to manifest their religion should override the duty on me to protect animal and human health,” she said in a letter to the Welsh Assembly last month.

“In the light of the veterinary, medical and legal assessments, I am minded to conclude that they should not.”

The monastery had previously compared killing the bull to murder, saying in a Web statement it would be “willing to defend his life with our own.”

Mistry said the statement was meant to express the depth of Hindu feeling over the matter, adding that any protests would be nonviolent.

Another Hindu leader urged all parties to the dispute to be reasonable.

“If there is good evidence of genuine case of tuberculosis which is then a danger to others ... then you have to let go,” said Anil Bhanot, the General Secretary of Hindu Council UK.

“It is the body that is dying, not the atma (soul)—that is not perishable.”