Reprieve for bull on death row in Wales

Monks at a Hindu temple were today celebrating a temporary reprieve granted to a sacred bull on death row on a Welsh farm.

The Welsh Assembly Government had been expected to take steps to slaughter Shambo, of the Skanda Vale Temple in West Wales, next week after he tested positive for bovine tuberculosis.

However, members of the small community in Llanpumsaint, who would consider the slaughter to be sacrilege, now hope the Welsh Assembly Government may have a change of heart and let the bull live.

Swami Suryananda, of the Skanda Vale Temple, said: “We are encouraged by the response of the authorities to defer their decision on the future of Shambo. To consider killing as a solution is not an option.

“We would hope the threat of slaughter could be removed so that we can establish constructive dialogue with the Assembly, to find a practical solution that upholds the highest values of the Hindu faith, but also meets the health and safety requirements.”

A Welsh Assembly Government spokeswoman said they were continuing to deal with the case in a “discreet and sensitive” way.

She said: “The policy of the Welsh Assembly Government, in common with many other countries, is that cattle who have tested positive for TB should be slaughtered to protect public health and animal health.

“The Welsh Assembly Government is continuing to assess all the issues surrounding this very sensitive case. There is currently no timetable for the slaughter of the bullock, though the slaughter notice remains in force.”

Interest in Shambo’s plight has spread across the world since the slaughter notice was posted to the temple, home to 20 monks and six nuns, earlier this month.

Ishwer Tailor, president of the Hindu Forum of Britain, said: “The campaign to save Shambo has received considerable support from people of different faiths in the UK and around the world.

“It is important that we continue to request the Welsh Assembly to remove the slaughter notice that is hanging over Shambo.

“In the meantime the temple we will continue to take the necessary bio-security measures to protect animals and humans from harm.”

Sudarshan Bhatia, president of the National Council of Hindu Temples, said: “The deferral of the decision to slaughter Shambo could mean that the Welsh Assembly is considering various options.

“We hope that the sensitiveness of the issue and the needs of the different communities can be carefully considered.”

Yesterday monks at the temple said they had stepped up security at the site in a bid to protect Shambo. A webcam, nicknamed Moo Tube, has now been set up to allow well-wishers to watch Shambo, who is currently living in isolation.