Gangotri (cow) facts for kids

Gangotri was a cow who lived at Bhaktivedanta Manor, a special temple in England. In December 2007, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) decided to end her life. This event caused a lot of discussion and protest among Hindu people in England. They were concerned about how cows are treated.

What Happened to Gangotri?

On December 13, 2007, people from the RSPCA and a government vet came to Bhaktivedanta Manor. They ended Gangotri's life using a special injection. Gangotri was not sick with a disease. However, she had hurt her back legs and could not stand up.

Caring for Gangotri

The temple staff at Bhaktivedanta Manor took great care of Gangotri. They even hired vets to help her and check on her health every day. The temple was given to them in 1973 by George Harrison from The Beatles. It runs a special program called The Cow Protection Project. This project is a no-kill shelter. It means that cows and bulls are allowed to live out their lives naturally and die of old age.

Different Opinions

The RSPCA said that Gangotri was suffering. They ended her life without talking to the vets who were already treating her. The temple officials said that two vets, one local and one specialist, were regularly helping Gangotri. They were giving her medicine and guiding the daily care.

Temple officials explained that it is common for farmers to end a cow's life if it cannot walk. This is because health problems can quickly get worse. But as a religious community, the temple chose to care for Gangotri. The two vets supported this choice.

Two other vets, who did not know how the temple worked with animals, gave different opinions. At first, a chief vet from the government department called Defra also suggested that Gangotri should be put down. But after he visited the temple and saw how well Gangotri was being cared for, he said no more action was needed.

Protests and Legal Action

After Gangotri's life was ended, the temple officials thought about taking legal action against the RSPCA. In March 2008, a newspaper reported that the RSPCA was being sued. The temple said that the RSPCA came onto their land without permission. They also said the RSPCA wrongly ended Gangotri's life. The temple stated that Gangotri was getting vet care and was getting better. They believed there was no reason for her to be put down.

Public Protests

On December 26, 2007, about 200 people protested at the RSPCA's main office in Horsham, West Sussex. At the same time, about 700 Hindu people held special prayers at Bhaktivedanta Manor. More protests also happened a few months later in March.

RSPCA Apology

On December 13, 2008, the RSPCA said sorry for ending Gangotri's life. As a sign of making peace, they also gave a pregnant cow to the temple's Cow Protection Project.