Indian Railways is one of the best transport to carry your pets to longer distance. It is safe, affordable, has easy laws and allows small, big, all kinds of animals.
It is very convenient for animals since it also takes several breaks during the journey, is well ventilated and has designated compartments where the pet can stay with the family or an individual pet parent.
Here is a list of rules about how to carry your pet in Indian Railways:
BOOKING OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS
1001. Forwarding note for animals and birds.—Consignments of animals and birds tendered for carriage by rail must be accompanied by a forwarding note on the appropriate form approved by the Central Government under section 64 of the Railways Act. A specimen of this form appears in the I. R. C. A. Coaching and Goods Tariffs.
All entries in the forwarding note should be carefully scrutinized to see that they are correctly written by the sender or his authorized agent, who should also enter date, and sign the forwarding note. If any correction or alteration is made in the forwarding note, it must be signed (and not initialled) and dated by the sender or his authorized agent.
The instructions contained in Para 903 for the preservation of forwarding notes for parcels will also apply to forwarding notes executed for animals and birds.
1002. Responsibility of railway as carrier of animals and birds.—(a) Under section 103 of the Railways Act, the liability of the railway administration as carrier of animals and birds is limited to amounts specified below unless the sender declares in the forwarding note, the animals or birds to be of a higher value and elects to pay the prescribed percentage charge on the excess of the value in addition to the freight charges at railway risk—
Elephants ……………………………………………………………….. Rs.6,000 per head
Horses …………………………………………………………………… Rs.3,000 “”
Mules, camels or hornd cattle .. .. …………………………………… Rs. 800 “”
Donkeys, sheep, goals, dogs and other animals or birds .. …………Rs. 120 “”
Station Masters are authorized to accept the percentage charge on excess value for animals or birds in all cases without prior reference to their Divisional Commercial Superintendent
(b) The sender or his authorized agent may declare on the forwarding note the value of each animal or bird when it exceeds the amount specified in clause (a) above, and also record whether or not he engages to pay the percentage charge on the excess value commonly known as insurance charges. Should the consignor elect not to pay the percentage charge on the excess value, the animals and birds will be accepted for carriage under the terms and conditions of section 103 of the Railways Act, i.e. the responsibility of the railway administration for loss, destruction, damage, deterioration or non-delivery of animals and birds shall not exceed the amount specified in clause(a) above. A suitable remark to the effect that the animals and birds have been booked at owner’s risk rate without payment of the percentage charge on the excess value shall be recorded on the railway receipt and other foils of the way-bill. If the percentage charge is paid on ‘excess value’ the amount of claim shall not exceed the value so declared under section 103(2) of the Railways Act.
If the sender are his agent does not declare animals and birds to be of a higher value, he should be asked to strike off the relevant clause in the forwarding note.
(c) Under section 101 of the Railways Act, a railway administration shall not be responsible for any loss or destruction of, or injuries to, any animal carried by railway arising from freight or restiveness of the animal or from overloading of wagon by the consignor.
1003. Avoidance of cruelty to animals and birds.—The minimum dimensions of cages, baskets or hampers and the number of live poultry which can be packed in them are laid down in the I. R. C. A. Coaching Tariff. These instructions should be strictly observed. Receptacles of a smaller size or those containing a large number of birds should not be accepted for booking under any circumstances.
Similarly, the number of animals loaded in a vehicle/wagon should not exceed the permissible limits to avoid overcrowding and restiveness to animals.
1004. Booking of animals and birds at other than parcel rates.—(a) Animals and birds when tendered for despatch by coaching trains at rates other than parcel rates, should be booked under way-bills for booking of animals, birds, etc., at other than the parcel rates in Form Com./P-38 (for local bookings) or Com./P-39 (for through bookings), as the case may be. These way-bills are printed on pink paper, and the one used for booking through traffic has the letter ‘F’ printed prominently at the top right hand corner. The way-bills are machine-numbered (letter ‘A’ being prefixed to the number) and supplied in sets of three foils, viz., ‘Record’, ‘Receipt’ and ‘Guard’, to be written by carbon process.
(b) The instructions contained in Chapter VIII of this Manual regarding examination, custody, issue, collection, cancellation, etc., of luggage tickets will also apply in the case of way-bills for booking animals, birds, etc.
1005. Recording of actual number of animals, birds and poultry.—Animals or birds chargeable at other than parcel rates should be counted at the time of booking and their number recorded in the way-bill, both in words and figures. In the case of poultry and other small animals or birds in brackets chargeable at parcel rates, a ‘said to contain’ railway receipt will be issued when the number is not easily countable.
In the case of valuable poultry, on which the sender has engaged to pay the percentage charge on the excess value, a declaration with regard to the number of birds despatched in each cage or crate and their value must be obtained on the forwarding note. Prepayment of freight and insurance charges is compulsory.
1006. Labels for dogs, animals and birds.—Labels in Form Com./L-3 Rev. showing the number and date of way-bill, station from and to, the name and address of the consignor and consignee, and the route by which dogs, animals or birds have been booked, should be tied to the collar of every dog or animal booked in brake van, and to the cages or baskets containing small animals and birds.
1007.Labelling of horse boxes and cattle wagons.—Horse boxes and cattle wagons should be labelled with wagon labels, which should be tied to the pocket and sealed with the station seal of the forwarding station. These labels should be prepared with blue pencil and entries in them should be made clearly and legibly in bold capital letters. The route by which the horses, cattle, etc., are booked must also be entered on the labels.
1008. Loading of dogs and other animals in brake vans.—(a) When animals or birds are booked by brake vans, care must be taken to see that means for properly securing them in transit are provided by owners
(b) Dogs must be accommodated in separate dog boxes, wherever possible. When two or more dogs have necessarily to be accommodated in one dog box, they must be chained, as far apart from one another as is possible to prevent them from fighting. A large dog which cannot be accommodated in the dog box, must be booked in a special vehicle at the rates and conditions applicable to horses as laid down in the I. R. C. A. Coaching Tariff.
1009. Loading and unloading of horses and cattle, etc.—(a) Before loading horse boxes or cattle wagons, the Station Master or other responsible official should see that the floor of the vehicles/wagons is free from the droppings of animals, and that the vehicles/wagons are properly disinfected and their fittings are in good order. Vehicles with broken and weak bottom boards and breast bars should not be loaded with horses and cattle, nor horses be placed in stalls of horse boxes the padding of which is loose and rough, so as to avoid injury to the animals by friction. Wagons with iron floors, as far as possible, should not be loaded with horses and cattle.
(b) Loading, unloading and transhipment of horses and cattle, should be done by owners or by their representatives. The station staff should render such assistance as may be necessary in regard to the opening and closing of doors and stall sides. If the flap doors do not rest on the platform at an easy angle, the loading board should be provided for loading or unloading or transhipment operations.
1010. Loading of camels.—(a) Whenever camels are loaded in trucks, they should be firmly strapped or tied down in such a manner that they cannot stand up and so come in contact with overhead structures. They should be loaded with their heads towards the centre of the truck so that they cannot stretch out their heads sufficiently far over the sides, as to come in contact with water columns, sides of tunnels, etc.
(b) After loading and before despatch, every truck must be examined by the Train Examiner, who will issue the usual certificate of correct loading. Until so examined and certified, the truck must not be sent out of the yard.
1011. Despatch of breast bars.—(a) Station Masters/Chief Parcel Clerks despatching breast bars must keep an accurate record of all despatches and immediately notify full particulars of despatch to the depot station to which the breast bars are allotted. The depot Station Master/Chief Parcel Clerk will be responsible for seeing that the breast bars so despatched are received back in time consistent with the duration of the double journey involved. If the breast bars are not received back, necessary action for tracing them must be initiated and a copy of the report endorsed to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent.
(b) Breast bars placed in wagons booked to local or other railway stations must be fully described on the invoices or way-bills pertaining to those wagons. The number of breast bars in each wagon must also be shown on the labels of the wagons entered in the Guard’s vehicle summary and the Guard’s signature obtained at the station of dispatch. When the articles are made over at destination, or at a junction, when booked to stations on other railways, the Guard must obtain the signature of the receiving clerk in his summary.
(c) Receiving stations must return the breast bars to the dispatching or depot station, as the original invoice or way-bill, duly booked under a free service way-bill, giving reference of wagon number and booking particulars under which they were received.
1012. Loading and unloading of animals during night.—Except under special circumstances, live-stock should not be allowed to be loaded, unloaded or transshipped during night. Owners requesting loading or unloading of animals after dusk, should be asked to give in writing that they accept full responsibility for loading or unloading or transshipment at such a time.
1013. Attendants accompanying animals.—Attendants allowed free as per I.R. C. A. Tariffs should be permitted to travel in the same vehicle as animals or in third class compartment, if any, by same train. Extra attendants will be charged second class fares. Families of attendants should not be allowed to travel in horse boxes, cattle wagons, etc. Cooking, smoking and the use of unprotected light must not be allowed in vehicles carrying animals.
Actual number of attendants travelling in the vehicle together with particulars of tickets held, if any, should be recorded on all the foils of way-bill/ invoice.
1000. Telegraphic advice to be sent to stations of unloading.—If horses, cattle, etc. for different stations are loaded in one vehicle, telegraphic advice should be sent by booking or loading station to each intermediate station at which such animals are to be unloaded. Copies of such messages should also be addressed to engine-changing stations en-route. Remarks regarding unloading should be made in the Guard’s summary.
1015. Telegraphic advice of dispatch of animals, etc., to be sent to break-of-guage station.—(a) When horses or live-stock are loaded in either horse boxes or wagons from any station via a junction at which there is a break-of-guage, a telegraphic advice of the number loaded in each vehicle/wagon should be sent at once to the junction station so that the necessary number of vehicles/wagons may be kept ready for transshipping the animals without delay.
(b) Care must be taken to load horses with due regard to the stations they are intended for, so as to prevent a horse for a distant station having to be taken out of the box to admit of one for a nearer station leaving it.
(c) Not more than three horse boxes should be dispatched from a railway of a different gauge on any day unless intimation is received from the junction that horse boxes are available.
1016. Advice of animals dispatched to and received from other railways.—In order to avoid delay to live-stock at both local and through junctions, the forwarding station should advice the next junction station either on control phone, if on. a controlled section, or by a telegram if on a non-controlled section, as to the date and train by which vehicles/wagons containing live-stock will arrive at the station. Such advices should be repeated by the junction Station Master en route to the Station Master of the next junction so that the yard staff may have sufficient advance notice for arranging onward dispatch of vehicles/wagons by the first connecting train.
1017. Care of animals and birds at stations and in transit.—(a) The railway administration as a carrier is responsible for animals and birds till they are in transit. After the termination of transit the railway administration has no liability for loss, destruction, damage, deterioration or non-delivery of animals and birds. It is, therefore, important that till the transit is at an end, the animals and birds should be carefully looked after and nothing untoward should be allowed to occur which may involve the railway administration into payment of claims. The Station Masters are personally responsible to ensure that their staff act with reasonable foresight and care in the carriage and handling of animals and birds from the time they are booked to the time they are delivered at destination.
(b) The Guard is responsible for the safety of animals and birds in his charge. He must see that the animals and birds in brake vans are so placed as to get as much as possible, and that troughs in dog boxes are frequently filled with clean water during the journey. He should also see that the doors of dog boxes are securely locked.
(c) At stations, animals and birds must not be left at the mercy of the station safaiwala or other lower subordinate staff, but they must be under the care of the supervisory staff. At large stations, the Station Master must depute a responsible official for this duty and the loading in the brake van must be done under the direct supervision of the official concerned.
1018. Goods train Guards to afford assistance to attendants.—Goods train Guards carrying wagons loaded with live-stock must afford reasonable assistance to the attendants accompanying the animals in obtaining essential supplies of fodder, water, etc. The inspecting officials and supervisory staff at stations should see that all reasonable care is taken of animals and birds at stations and in transit.
At principal stations where a train halts for a longer time, Station Masters must see that horse boxes on the train containing horses are cleaned out through the trap doors in front and rear and the roof tanks are filled with clean water.
1019. Live-stock wagons damaged en route.—When live-stock vehicles/ wagons are found damaged and unfit to run, these should be personally inspected by the Station Master on duty or the Train Examiner, where one is provided, and efforts made to repair the vehicles/wagons or to tranship the contents as quickly as possible. During the halt, such assistance as may be required by the attendants should be promptly given.
1020. Check of horses, cattle, animals, attendants, etc., at junctions.—The number of horse; and animals with their attendants in horse boxes and cattle wagons should be checked, al ticket checking and junction stations, and the number found excess should be charged for at the tariff rates either at the time of check or by advising the destination station through an-urgent telegram. The vehicle summary of the train must also be endorsed to this effect. A complete report of such cases should also be sent to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent and Traffic Accounts Office.
1021. Check of luggage, gear and fodder in horse boxes and cattle wagons.—
The weight and descriptions of gear and fodder carried in horse boxes and cattle wagons should be checked to see that these are not in excess of the weight allowed free under the tariff rules. The excess weight should be charged for either at the time of check or by sending a telegraphic advice to the Station Master of the destination station. Special check must also be made at destination stations with a view to detecting excess luggage in horse boxes and cattle wagons. A complete report of cases detected should be sent to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent and Traffic Accounts Office.
1022. Making and taking over of animals and birds.—The procedure to be followed by the station staff and Guards in making and taking over animals and birds booked under way-bills is the same as prescribed for parcels.
1023. Expeditious despatch of vehicles/wagons loaded with live-stock.—
Booking and junction stations should push out such vehicles/wagons by the first or quickest through trains, passenger or goods, as the case may be. The Station Masters / Yard Masters at junction stations should keep a record of arrival and despatch of all live-stock vehicles/wagons in a manuscript register to watch that no avoidable detention occurs to them in yard and that they are despatched by the first connecting train. If for any reason vehicles/wagons are detained in yard, a suitable remark should be entered in the register for subsequent reference and the defaulting staff should be reported to the Divisional Operating Superintendent for necessary action.
1024. Expeditious placement and unloading of wagons loaded with animals.—
On arrival at destination, vehicles carrying live-stock should be placed in position for unloading at the earliest possible time. Owners should be asked to take out animals, and release the stock soon after the wagons are placed in position for unloading.
1025. Precautions to tie taken for loading and unloading horse.—As far as practicable, no shunting should be done in the vicinity of the place where horses are to be loaded or unloaded so as to avoid chances of damage or injury arising from fright or restiveness of animals. Only, those persons who are with the animals, or staff whose duties necessitate their presence, may remain at the place and others should be sent away.
Station Masters are personally responsible to ensure compliance of these instructions.
1026. Route of carriage not to be deviated.—Animals and birds must be carried by the booked route. Whenever due to congestion or other operational reasons it becomes necessary to carry animals and birds by other than the booked route, the Station Master of the station at which the route of carriage is changed, must keep full particulars of detention and reasons for deviation of route in a manuscript register. A report of such deviations must be made to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent and Divisional Operating Superintendent
Even when in the ordinary course of carriage, animals and birds suffer delay or detention en-route, the Station Master of the station, at which such delay or detention occurs, must keep a complete record thereof to fix responsibility, and to resist any claim that might be preferred against the railway administration on grounds of negligence or lack of foresight and care on the part of its servants.
1027. Delivery of animals and birds.—Animals and birds booked under waybills for animals, birds; etc., should be delivered to owners at destination on collection of the railway receipt which should be submitted to the Traffic Accounts Office periodically. If, however, the railway receipts are not available due to any reason, the Guard’s foils should be sent to the Traffic Accounts Office in piece of railway receipts, keeping a certified manuscript copy thereof as station record.
1028. Disposal of unclaimed animals and birds.—Station Masters must make effort to contact the owner of animal and birds, which have also been taken delivery of immediately after receipt at destination, to obtain instructions for their disposal. If the animals and birds are not delivered within 24 hours of their receipt, nor any instructions for their disposal are received from the owner, the animals or birds should be disposed of by public auction under the provisions of section 84 of Railways Act. A report of all such cases must be submitted to the Divisional Commercial Superintendent.
1029. Feeding charges to recovered before delivery.—Unclaimed animals and birds that have been received at the station, should be fed by Station Master, and actual expenses should be recovered from the owner at the time of delivery. If the animals and birds are not taken delivery of and removed within 24 hours of their receipt and have necessarily to be auctioned under section 84 of the Railways Act. the bill for feeding charges along with voucher should be submitted to Divisional Commercial Superintendent for arranging payment. Before the animals and birds are auctioned, the Station Master must obtain instructions from the Divisional Commercial superintendent on control phone, If on a controlled section, or through a telegram if on a non-controlled action.
1030. Carriage of animals suffering from infections or contagious disease.—A Railway administration shall not be bound to carry any animal under section 68 of the Railway Act, suffering from the following infectious or contagious disease—
(1) Cattle and Buffaloes.—Rinderpest, Foot and mouth diseases, Contagious bovine Pleuropneumonia, Anthrax, Rabies; Tuberculosis, Para-Tuberculosis, Theileriosis, Brucellosis, Haemorrhagic, Septicaemia, Black Quarter, Lepto Pirosis Piroplasnosis, Anaplasnosis.
(2) Sheep and Gents.—Rinderpest. Foot and mouth diseases, Anthrax, Rabies, Blue Tongue, Brucellosis, Sheep-Pox, CCPP, Contagious Ecthema, Goat Pox.
(3) Horses, Donkeys and Mules.—Glanders, Anthrax,. EIA, Equine Influenza, Rhinopneumoniti, Trypenosomiasis.
(4) Pigs.—Hog cholera, Foot and mouth Diseases, Rinderpest, Anthrax.
(5) Poultry.– Ranikhet Diseases, Fowl Pox, Bacillary, Diarrhoea, Infectious Bronchitis, Marek’s Disease, Infectious Coryza, ILT Gumboro CRD and Fowl Cholera.
(6) Dogs and Cats.—Rabies Distemper, Parvovirus, Infection, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis.
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