**Summary:**
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, issued guidelines on August 27, 2025, for the welfare and management of working equines (horses, mules, and donkeys) used during religious pilgrimages (yatras) across India, including the Amarnath Yatra, Char Dham Yatra, Vaishnodevi Yatra, and Manimahesh Yatra. These guidelines establish a uniform framework for the registration, health certification, acclimatization, and overall welfare of these animals.
Key provisions include:
* Mandatory registration and tagging of all working equines.
* Compulsory health certification, including testing for glanders and equine influenza.
* A minimum acclimatization period for equines before deployment in high-altitude areas.
* Establishment of veterinary checkposts every five kilometers along pilgrimage routes, equipped with veterinarians, paraprofessionals, medicines, IV fluids, and quarantine facilities.
* Humane working conditions, including rest sheds, potable water, scientifically defined load limits, and a prohibition on night movement.
* Mandatory insurance coverage for all working equines.
* Implementation of vaccination schedules and surveillance measures, in consultation with ICAR-NRCE, to strengthen disease prevention and control.
The guidelines prioritize animal welfare to enhance equine performance, pilgrim safety, public health, and the livelihoods of families dependent on these animals. DAHD will coordinate with State Governments, Shrine Boards, and Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) to facilitate and oversee the effective implementation of these guidelines across pilgrimage sites. The guidelines were developed through a consultative process involving subject experts, stakeholders, State Governments, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), and the ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE), Hisar.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry Dairying: The central ministry responsible for the guidelines.
Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying DAHD: The department under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry Dairying that issued the guidelines.
Guidelines for the Welfare and Management of Working Equines during Religious Pilgrimages in India: The title of the policy document being analyzed.
Amarnath Yatra: A major Hindu pilgrimage to a cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir.
Char Dham Yatra: A set of four pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand.
Vaishnodevi Yatra: A Hindu pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu and Kashmir.
Manimahesh Yatra: A Hindu pilgrimage to Manimahesh Lake in Himachal Pradesh.
ICARNational Research Centre on Equines NRCE, Hisar: An animal research institution in Hisar, Haryana, involved in developing the guidelines.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
DAHD Issues Guidelines for Welfare and
Management of Working Equines on Pilgrimage
Routes Across India
Health Certification, Testing and Insurance Made
Compulsory for Animal Welfare & Pilgrim Safety
Posted On: 27 AUG 2025 5:24PM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal
Husbandry & Dairying has released “Guidelines for the Welfare and Management of Working Equines
during Religious Pilgrimages in India.” The guidelines provide a uniform framework for the registration,
health certification, acclimatization, and welfare management of working equines (horses, mules, and
donkeys) engaged in carrying pilgrims and goods during yatras such as the Amarnath Yatra, Char Dham
Yatra, Vaishnodevi Yatra, and Manimahesh Yatra etc.
The provisions include mandatory registration and tagging of all equines, health certification with
compulsory testing for glanders and equine influenza, and a minimum acclimatization period before
deployment in high-altitude areas. Veterinary check-posts are to be established every five kilometres
along pilgrimage routes, equipped with veterinarians, para-professionals, medicines, IV fluids, and quarantine
facilities. Humane working conditions have been emphasized through the provision of rest sheds, potable
water, scientifically defined load limits, and prohibition on night movement, while insurance coverage
for all working equines has been made mandatory to ensure accountability and safeguard animal welfare.
Vaccination schedules and surveillance measures, in consultation with ICAR–NRCE will further strengthen
disease prevention and control.
Animal welfare has been prioritized in these guidelines as the well-being of equines directly impacts their
performance, the safety of pilgrims, public health, and the livelihoods of families who depend on them. By
ensuring rest, water, treatment facilities, defined load limits, and a ban on harsh equipment, these guidelines
promote responsible use of animals while supporting both welfare and sustainable livelihoods. The guidelines
also aim to ensure safety of pilgrims and promote sustainable pilgrimage management while extending
support to local administrations and veterinary authorities.
DAHD in coordination with State Governments, Shrine Boards and Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (SPCAs) will facilitate and oversee the implementation of these guidelines to ensure their effective
adoption across pilgrimage sites. These guidelines have been prepared through a consultative process
involving subject experts, stakeholders, State Governments, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and
the ICAR–National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE), Hisar.
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Aditi Agrawal
(Release ID: 2161250)