For close to two decades they lived in retirement at the state's expense: Shut out from the world outside a 32-acre property and years away from the jabs that had drawn their blood as antidote. Soon, some of them will be called back to save lives.

In two years, 11 horses and 17 mules, some of which were used to produce anti-snake venom serum at King Institute will 'bleed' again to produce antivenom. Some of these horses were part of the serum project till 2000, after which the facility suspended production following a furore over their ill-treatment. "We have screened these animals and found them fit for producing the serum as per the norms set by animal welfare boards," said director of the institute Dr P Gunasekaran. These animals, he said, will undergo a second round of tests just before production of the serum resumes - after a gap of more than 16 years............................Read more

Source: The Times of India