Residents and animal welfare activists in Coimbatore are sounding the alarm over an unchecked rise in stray horses, citing severe road safety risks and systemic animal cruelty.

  • Stray horses are causing frequent road accidents in areas like Vellakinar and Saibaba Colony.
  • Owners are reportedly abandoning horses due to high maintenance costs or health issues.
  • Animal volunteers highlight a critical lack of specialized hydraulic ambulances for horse rescues.
  • Proposed registration with the Animal Welfare Board aims to hold negligent owners accountable.

The city of Coimbatore is currently grappling with a persistent and growing crisis of stray horses roaming freely across its major thoroughfares. For over two decades, residents in neighborhoods such as Vellakinar, Saibaba Colony, Kanuvai, Vadavalli, and Thudiyalur have reported that these unsupervised animals pose a significant threat to both motorists and pedestrians. The situation has reached a tipping point, with locals citing a rise in road accidents, including a harrowing incident last year where a woman and her two children were involved in a crash caused by a stray horse near Vellakinar Pirivu.

The root of the problem lies in a disturbing pattern of ownership and abandonment. According to V. Balakrishnan, an SPCA coordinator and anti-cruelty officer, many of these animals are not truly 'stray' but are abandoned by owners who can no longer afford their upkeep or who discard them once they develop chronic health problems. Some horses are bought specifically for short-term use in racing or wedding ceremonies and are subsequently left to fend for themselves on the streets once their commercial utility expires.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this is not merely a traffic issue but a systemic failure of urban animal management. The presence of large animals on high-traffic roads creates a volatile environment for commuters, while the animals themselves are forced to scavenge through roadside garbage, leading to severe health complications such as colic and malnutrition.

The lack of a specialized hydraulic lift ambulance for animals weighing up to 600kg is a critical gap in our city's emergency response infrastructure.

Animal welfare volunteer E. Kaviyan has highlighted the inadequacy of the current medical support system. He notes that the 1962 Animal Mobile Medical Ambulance service is rarely available for horse-specific emergencies, forcing volunteers to rely on expensive private veterinarians. The urgency was underscored recently when a horse in Saibaba Colony collapsed from colic and only survived due to the timely intervention of a private vet.

To combat this, authorities are considering a mandatory registration system. By registering horses with the Animal Welfare Board, the city could finally trace ownership and impose heavy fines on those who abandon their animals. Dr. S. Varun Kumar, Director of the Coimbatore Zoo, confirmed that while the Corporation handles the capture and housing of these animals at the VOC Park zoo, a long-term regulatory framework is essential.

Did You Know?: A horse suffering from colic—a severe abdominal pain—can be fatal if not treated within hours, making specialized transport like hydraulic lifts a matter of life and death.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which areas in Coimbatore are most affected by stray horses?
A: The most affected areas include Saibaba Colony, Vellakinar, Kanuvai, Vadavalli, and Thudiyalur.

Q: How can owners be held accountable for abandoning horses?
A: The proposed solution is to register all horses with the Animal Welfare Board to enable tracking and the imposition of fines.