Killing the Holy Cow

[MrsMo]

A Hindu sect in Wales has a sacred cow that has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis. The Welsh regional government wants the cow killed for health reasons while the Hindus are claiming that the cow is sacred and fighting to save it. So far there have been varying opinons from the various court systems with the latest decision being against the Hindus and the cow. The Hindu sect wants to take the decision to the House of Lords next, in their attempt to save the cow. BTW - the Hindu sect does not believe the cow is sick, adding to their fervor to save the cow.

So, what do you think? Should the Hindus be allowed to keep a cow that has the possibility of infecting other cattle, thus depriving local farmers of income from the sales of the beef and dairy products? What about their religeous beliefs and the importance of the sacred cow?

Here's a link to the full story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070723/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_shambo;_ylt=AgkLVfZTZbovPQQItjLngtftiBIF

[Kitz E Kat]

Bovine TB was a major problem over here years ago, it's not now.
However if a cow is suspected of having it, the farm is quarantined, all the cattle are killed, if the farmer had sold some cows recently they are traced and that farm is quarantined and all the cows are killed and so on.
The farmer is not allowed to have any cows for some time after.

So I think you know what would happen here if that same situation where to occur !!
It's highly contagious, and can wipe out herds of cattle in no time.

[Will4764]

Hmm, if possible, depending on how contagious the condition was, couldn't they just quarentine the cow? Like put it on the moon or something, little bottle of oxygen, little bit of grass, some heavy boots to keep it on said rock. That way it'll not get in the way of other cows, who maybe don't want the condition themselves, but it won't have to be killed.

Seriously though, could they not just keep the cow away from other cows?

[SyntaxHeir]

Seriously though, could they not just keep the cow away from other cows?

That would violate the cow's civil rights.

[MrsMo]

I don't know how many, or even IF, other cattle the hindu sect has but since they don't believe the cow has bovine tb they certainly won't take any steps to keep it from being passed on to other cows.

[Will4764]

Oh my, I totally never even considered the cows civil rights in my plan to keep it away from other cows...

I feel so bad! Aha =]