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Shambo case could go before Lords Monks see 'end' of Shambo fight
(about 5 hours later)
Monks at a Carmarthenshire multi-faith community are deciding whether to take the plight of Shambo, their "sacred" temple bullock, to the House of Lords. Monks at a Carmarthenshire multi-faith community say they are "pretty much at the end of the road" in their legal fight to save Shambo the bullock.
The Friesian at Skanda Vale, which has tested positive for bovine TB, is again facing slaughter after an appeal court overturned a ruling to block the order.The Friesian at Skanda Vale, which has tested positive for bovine TB, is again facing slaughter after an appeal court overturned a ruling to block the order.
If the slaughter goes ahead, the monks plan to worship at Shambo's temple. Brother Alex, a senior monk, said there was only a "slim chance" they would petition the House of Lords.
The assembly government said there was no timetable, but it wanted to minimise distress to the animal and its carers. The appeal court's ruling has been welcomed by the farm union NFU Cymru.
Blocking the slaughter order last week, High Court judge Gary Hickinbottom said two slaughter orders had failed to give enough weight to the rights of the monks. The Welsh Assembly Government has won its appeal against a high court judge's decision last week to block two slaughter orders.
Obviously we're very, very concerned for Shambo's well being, and our ability to care for all of the animals in Skanda Vale. Brother Michael The assembly government said there was no timetable for Shambo's slaughter, but it wanted to minimise distress to the animal and its carers.
But an appeal by the assembly government against Judge Hickinbottom's ruling was upheld by the appeal court in London on Monday. Judge Gary Hickinbottom had said the orders had failed to give enough weight to the rights of the monks.
Lord Justice Pill said former rural affairs minister Jane Davidson acted lawfully when she refused to make an exception for Shambo as a sacred bull. The longer this animal lives, the longer the [bovine TB] reservoir will be in the heartland of livestock-producing areas of Wales Dai Davies, NFU Cymru
He said the decision was justified even though Shambo's slaughter would be considered by the community as a sacrilegious act, a finding which Skanda Vale's Brother Michael said "particularly disturbed" the community. But the assembly government's appeal was upheld by the appeal court in London on Monday.
"This sets a very sad precedent in today's society," he said, speaking as he travelled back to the community near Llanpumsaint after the case in London. Lord Justice Pill said former Rural Affairs Minister Jane Davidson acted lawfully when she refused to make an exception for Shambo as a sacred bullock.
"Obviously we're very, very concerned for Shambo's well being, and our ability to care for all of the animals in Skanda Vale. He said the decision was justified even though Shambo's slaughter would be considered a sacrilegious act by the community.
"This judgement really undermines our ability to do that." Brother Alex told BBC Radio Wales the community had faced the problem of trying to convince the courts that "untested and untried" methods of dealing with possible bovine TB would be effective.
'Legal team' He said: "There is a small possibility we could petition the House of Lords but just in logistical terms, never mind legal terms, it's quite a slim chance.
Brother Michael said discussions would take place on Tuesday to determine whether taking further action was a "realistic option".
He said: "We've got to talk to our legal team tomorrow, they're finding out some information from the court in relation to practicalities, really.
"We're still considering that as an option."
Meanwhile, Brother Michael said "various Hindu organisations" would be writing to the Welsh assembly government asking them to perform another skin test on Shambo, as an "act of magnanimity".
He said it would "discount the possibility that he (Shambo) may be the 1 in a 1000 false-positive".
Shambo the bullock is being kept in a special enclosureShambo the bullock is being kept in a special enclosure
"It would show an act of generosity and show they would explore every avenue and every possibility, " he added. 'Sensitivity'
The monks plan to hold an act of worship in front of Shambo's pen if the assembly government acts on the slaughter order. "So it looks as though we're pretty much at the end of the road in legal terms."
He said: "We have tried an act of recourse in the law, and the law has badly let us down. He said Shambo's fate had "touched a raw nerve among the Hindu community" and he called on the assembly government to be "magnanimous" and provide one more skin test, even though he accepted there was only a remote possibility it would be negative.
"We're monks and nuns, we're not a farming community, we're a monastery, and the purpose of our existence is to worship god and the sanctity of life." He added: "It would give a little bit of confidence that they did understand the sensitivity that was involved in this one."
The community has fought a hard campaign since the TB test returned positive in May, saying they were guarding against Shambo infecting other animals. The community has fought a campaign since a TB test returned positive in April, saying they were guarding against Shambo infecting other animals.
But they have faced opposition from many quarters, including farmers, who say the diseased animal provides a threat to the spread of TB among their herds. But they have faced opposition from many quarters, including the farming sector, where the animal is seen as a TB risk to livestock.
Public health Dai Davies, president of NFU Cymru, said the sooner Shambo was slaughtered the better.
Speaking after Monday's ruling, a spokesman for the Welsh Assembly Government said they would be looking to move forward, but it was not possible to give any timetable. He said: "The longer this animal lives, the longer the [bovine TB] reservoir will be in the heartland of livestock-producing areas of Wales.
"We are glad that the court has accepted the important public and animal health arguments in this case," he said. "The sooner is it done, the sooner that reservoir of disease is removed from that locality."
The spokesman said they aimed to work closely with the community to resolve the situation "with the minimum of distress to the animal and its carers." The assembly government said it was looking to move forward, but it was not possible to give any timetable.
"We are glad that the court has accepted the important public and animal health arguments in this case," said a spokesman.