Shambo showed lesions typical of TB
On 26 July Shambo was forcibly removed from the Skanda Vale community after demonstrations kept police officers at bay until the very last moment. Post-mortem tests revealed Shambo bore signs of lesions typical of TB.
Today the governmental TB Team in Wales replied to Animals Count's letter without addressing whether any treatment had been sought. Instead, they restated their policy of culling as the only means to eliminate the disease.
Animals Count is disappointed in the government's apparent lack of interest in finding and applying treatment for cattle with TB.
2 August, 2007 
Shambo slaughter notice upheld by London court
Today the Court of Appeal in London overturned the decision of the Cardiff Court last week that Shambo should be kept alive. According to Lord Justice Pill formal rural affairs minister Jane Davidson had acted lawfully by not making an exception.
The Skanda Vale community is devastated with the decision and will keep looking for ways to save Shambo. Animals Count believes that the bull can be kept alive by strict barrier nursing and has appealed to Minister Elin Jones for Rural Affairs to respect the beliefs of the Hindu community who wish to continue to care for Shambo.
Read our letter to Minister Jones here.
23 July, 2007
Shambo granted safety from slaughter
The slaughter notice of the bull Shambo ordered by Jane Davidson, Minister for
sustainability and rural development at the Welsh Assembly, has been quashed by a High Court
Judge in Cardiff on Monday. The judgement ruled that the slaughter notice was unlawful and
breaching the Human Rights Convention.
Animals Count welcomes the decision to respect life and hopes the Skanda Vale Hindu community will be able to continue looking after Shambo.
Shambo and several other animals at the Skanda Vale Community in Wales tested positive for tuberculosis (TB) earlier this year. Tuberculosis is life-threatening disease not presently treatable in cows, and infected animals may present a risk to other animals and humans through potential transmission of the disease. The slaughter decision provoked protests from around the world and an early day motion was even tabled to prevent Shambo's death.
The DEFRA website states that treatment for TB "is not usually undertaken in livestock because of the chronic, contagious nature of the disease and its potential public health hazards. In GB the TB Orders specifically prohibit the treatment of cattle and deer for tuberculosis."
Veterinarian David Taylor examined the bull and concluded that the animal was healthy and that he did not pose a public health risk and that he was kept in very good quarantine conditions. He argued that more sophisticated blood tests are available in America and that he would discuss any treatment protocol with colleagues if the bull were to be kept alive.
If Shambo has indeed TB he and the other animals tested positive need to be isolated, and any secondary illnesses need to be treated using strict barrier nursing (gowns, gloves, masks, antiseptic foot baths, etc.) using informed and consenting staff. Animals Count feels the infected animals should be maintained unless and until the deterioration of their health resulted in a consistently poor quality of life, at which time euthanasia would be in their best interests.
If isolation and barrier nursing were unable to be maintained at a consistently high level in the sanctuary for any reason, Animals Count considers that the risks to other animals and staff members may possibly justify the euthanasia of the affected animals. This would depend on a rational assessment of the transmission risks based on scientific data.