All hail to the change! Animal sacrifice has been cancelled indefinitely at Nepal’s Gadhimai festival, the world’s biggest animal sacrifice event held every five years for around 265 years. According to Humane Society International (HSI) India, the decision was announced by the Gadhimai Temple Trust following rigorous negotiations and campaigning by Animal Welfare Network Nepal (AWNN) and HSI/India.

This move, that will spare the lives of millions of animals over coming years, comes after the initial petition which was made to India’s Supreme Court against the movement of animals from India to the Gadhimai festival.

Manoj Gautam, founding member of AWNN and campaigner against the Gadhimai festival, has been quoted as saying, “We applaud the temple committee’s decision to end this mass slaughter of innocent animals and hope that they will continue to support us in our future endeavors for protecting animals in the country. AWNN’s progressive move to work directly with the temple committee, with Humane Society International/India’s support has been the key that changed the whole face of the campaign and is the reason for the achievement we have now.”

Mr Ram Chandra Shah, Chairman of the Gadhimai Temple Trust, issued a statement on the decision to ban animal sacrifices during the Gadhimai festival.