From Neglect to Compassion: Changing the Fate of Male Calves in India
In India, newborn male calves are often taken to temples as religious offerings. Following this, they may be cruelly abandoned and left to starve. However, one of our partner groups - the Visakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals (VSPCA) - are dedicated to changing the fate of these innocent calves through rescue, rehoming and education.
You can read the full story below:
Sacred Tradition, Silent Suffering
Every Saturday at Simhachalam Temple in Visakhapatnam, newborn male calves—often frail, wounded, or malnourished—are brought by devotees as offerings. Though meant as devotional gifts, the temple lacks the capacity to care for these young animals.
Often tied and abandoned at the foothills, they fall victim to starvation, injury, or neglect. Historical practices further worsened their plight, with unclaimed calves being auctioned and occasionally ending up in slaughterhouses—despite laws forbidding such actions.
Forming a Coalition, Changing Outcomes
VSPCA initiated a landmark intervention when, in February 2013, we petitioned the endowment minister to ban calf auctions. By mid-May, the temple complied, halting calf auctions and establishing a joint committee with VSPCA, the Animal Husbandry Department, and temple authorities. This coalition began curbing calf abandonment dramatically, reducing donations from an estimated 15,000 annually to just 3,000–4,000.
Cattle Respect Programme India – Education in Motion
To amplify change, VSPCA launched the Cattle Respect Programme India. Over 12 months, our teams:
Visited 145 villages and conducted 80 awareness camps near the temple.
Engaged people at 127 cattle markets (shandies).
Held 75 meetings with stakeholders across districts.
Educated 7,250 farmers on humane options instead of calf abandonment.
As a result, 3,974 calves were rescued, and 2,816 were rehomed responsibly.
Rescue, Rehabilitation & Rehoming Efforts
Calves arriving at the temple are now swiftly rescued. 238 calves, including 80 blind ones, are undergoing treatment at our sanctuary. 120 calves have found new homes through legal adoption within local tribal and small-scale farms. In addition, around 935 calves are housed at temporary goshala (cow shelter) facilities near Simhachalam, where they receive essential care and feeding.
Impact Overview: Numbers That Matter
These initiatives have significantly transformed the situation:
Calf offerings reduced from ~15,000 to ~3,000–4,000 annually.
3,974 rescued calves in the last year.
2,816 successfully rehomed.
238 under active sanctuary care (including 80 blind calves).
935 housed in temporary cow sanctuaries.
Outreach: 145 villages, 80 camps, 127 markets and 7,250 farmers educated.
A Calf’s Journey: From Abandonment to Belonging
One Sunday morning, a frail newborn calf is discovered at the temple’s base, abandoned and trembling. A VSPCA volunteer rescues him, carrying him to the sanctuary where he receives medical attention and nourishment. Over several weeks, his health stabilises.
Through our legal adoption program, he finds a new home with a tribal farmer who values him as both companion and aide on the field. His life is reclaimed—not as a ritual offering—but as a cherished living being.
Persistent Challenges Ahead
Despite progress, some challenges persist. Devotees from distant regions remain unaware of the ban, continuing calf offerings—especially during festivals. Sanctuary facilities frequently reach capacity, and more veterinary care and support is needed. Many calves still arrive with severe health conditions like blindness or malnutrition, and, regrettably, some succumb to these conditions despite rescue efforts.
Future Plans
To deepen impact, key objectives include:
Eradicating calf abandonment through intensified temple and village education campaigns.
Expanding shelter capacity to manage festival-season surges.
Ensuring welfare of adopted calves via regular checks with guardians.
Sustaining advocacy by reinforcing regulatory collaboration with temple and government bodies.
Shelter Update
VSPCA’s mission to protect and rehabilitate large working animals is also ongoing. Animal Aid Abroad’s continue funding now supports the care of:
8 buffaloes and 1 horse at Shelter One (Marikavalasa).
50 buffaloes and 3 horses at Shelter Two (Kindness Farm, Koravada).
With Heartfelt Gratitude
VSPCA extend our profound thanks to Animal Aid Abroad for enabling this transformative mission. Through your support, VSPCA is reshaping a ritual into an act of compassion—each calf rescued becomes a living testament to the strength of empathy over neglect.