Helping the cows and bulls of Veracruz
by Madhava Prasada dasi
Posted March 15, 2003

It pains me to write that for five years Uddharana das prabhu, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, has needed the help of all you.

About 1980 several cows and bulls from Gita-nagari arrived at an ISKCON farm property near the city of Tulancingo, Hidalgo (3 hours from Mexico City). Unfortunately, in 1988 the temple sold the land and the cows and bulls were left homeless.

Mercifully, Uddharana das began caring for seven of those bulls and cows, with the proceeds of his vegetarian restaurant in Orizaba Veracruz (90 minutes from the Port of Veracruz). The place where Uddharana is keeping the animals is too small (1.5 hectares, or 3.7 acres), but it is all he could afford.

The daily cost of maintaining 18 bulls, cows and calves is $50 US (monthly $1500 US). For the last five years Uddharana prabhu has had difficulty supporting the herd. A year ago the situation turned critical: the restaurant income declined and Uddharana's debts mounted.

Finally he had to close his restaurant; for several months he had elected to maintain the herd on reduced rations rather than pay the rent. Uddharana prabhu is now 52 years old and sick; he has lost 15 kg (33 lbs.) from his normal weight.

Now there are 8 cows, 8 bulls and 2 calves near death from starvation, and he is regularly besieged by non-devotees wanting to buy cattle for slaughter.

Krsna-conscious devotees have cared for this herd for over a decade. We request the help of devotees, either to take the cows and bulls to other properties or to help maintain them. They could be exported from the Port of Veracruz, 90 minutes away, although the cows and bulls are presently too weak to tolerate a trip.

". . . Now in New Vrindavan we can see how the cows are happy . . . . they are not broken-hearted. . . . To see that the cows feel very happy, this is human civilization; otherwise it is a civilization of tigers."
-- Lecture of SP - November 25, 1973

Please remember that good intentions cannot feed the cows and bulls. We are sorry to say that Prahlad, a two-year-old bull, has already died from starvation. Revati dasi told us that Prahlad had fallen from weakness, and the veterinarian could do nothing to save him.

18 bulls and cows still survive, but how much longer will they survive? Who will be next to leave the body from starvation?

After a previous appeal (in September 2002) the following donations were received:

At least $1000 US per month is needed for the cows and bulls to continue to live.

  1. Please help us to look for donors, and to relocate the herd.

  2. If you want to help us to protect these cows and bulls, following the desire of Srila Prabhupada, please give a contribution by credit card, http://www.iskcon.com.mx/adoptacow or by bank wire transfer to:
    Bank of America, Concord, California, USA

    Account Number 6290692210

    ABA 121000358

    If doing a wire transfer, please specify this information clearly:
    Bank: Bancomer

    Account #: 012 85501 1124050401-9

    Branch: Córdova, Veracruz

    Account holder: Hari Herrera Pérez

    Please also speak with your temple president or GBC member about receiving, and caring for, one or more of these cows and bulls.

    You can contact Uddharana das and Revati dasi at:

    (012717) 144825 (from México)

    (+52-2717) 144825 (outside México)

    e-mail: revatidd1@hotmail.com or virtual@iskcon.com.mx or szpigiel@mdp.edu.ar

  3. Please speak with a local GBC member to make the necessary arrangements to forestall their imminent death somehow.
  4. Please stay in contact with your local authority until this situation is resolved satisfactorily, to avoid the deaths of more cows and bulls.
Finally we want to clarify two things:
  1. Uddharana das prabhu is a very devoted pupil of Srila Prabhupada and is dedicated to maintaining the cows of Veracruz, even at the cost of his own health.
  2. Equally, Revati dasi prabhu wants to invite all devotees to the re-inauguration of the Restaurant Radhe Siam; relatives have helped him to be able to reopen it.
The reopening will take place March 1, 2003.

Restaurante Radhe Siam
Ote. 4 No. 787
Orizaba, Veracruz
Mexico

Srila Prabhupada and Krishna can take no pleasure in the fact that Veracruz cattle are already beginning to die from hunger. The bull in the picture, Prahlad, has already left his body. Please help the cows.