Bollywood power couple and animal lovers Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt are sure to receive a wide variety of wedding gifts, but Animal Rahat’s may be the most unique: inseparable horses who have been named Ranbir and Alia!
The mare was being used for wedding ceremonies and was in a terrible condition when she was found. She was anaemic, had multiple infected wounds, and was so severely malnourished that her ribs and hip bones jutted out. The stallion was confiscated from the Gateway of India in Mumbai, where he was being used for hauling a heavy Victoria carriage. He suffered from painful swelling on all four legs and acute osteoarthritis. Both the horses are now living at one of Animal Rahat’s sanctuaries, where they receive nutritious food as well as vital veterinary care and have lots of horse friends to run around and play with—but most of all, they choose each other.
“Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor chose to keep their big day horse-free,” says Chief Operating Officer Dr Naresh Upreti. “A wedding is a perfect occasion for anyone to spare a thought for and show love to all our fellow sentient beings.”
Horses are very sensitive to noise, and wedding ceremonies are full of it. Excited crowds, firecrackers, and loud music terrify these animals. The auditory onslaught can cause them to panic, which can lead to accidents. When horses aren’t being forced to endure the chaos of wedding ceremonies, they’re often confined to filthy sheds full of biting insects. Their legs are often tethered, which sometimes means they can’t turn around or even lie down comfortably. Horses are also often controlled through the use of spiked implements which lacerate their mouths.
Animal Rahat is a non-profit organisation that offers free aid for horses who pull carts or are used at weddings, donkeys who are used by the brick kilns, and bullocks who work in sugar mills. Animal Rahat aims to alleviate the suffering of these animals by giving rest to the lame and offering relief to the sick and injured. The organisation’s efforts also include mechanisation projects that replace the use of animals.
