(1) (a) There shall be bathing pool of minimum size 10 meter x 10 meter x 1.5 meter to 2 meter with gentle slope on all sides.
(b) The mahout shall ensure that the elephant gets a thorough bath every day. The elephant should be kept in bathing pool for not less than three hours while bathing.
(c) Scrubbing and cleaning of elephant body with coconut scrap should be done properly by the mahout himself and the cavady.
(2) Provisions shall be made by elephant owner for providing shower bath near the shed during summer season at least twice a day.
(3) The foot of the elephant should be maintained properly by applying Decamalli oil.
(4) A board with instructions not to feed elephants by pilgrims shall be kept near the elephants.
(5) If the elephant is found sick, injured, unduly stressed or pregnant the mahout shall report the condition to the owner or temple authority who in turn shall consult a veterinary doctor for providing treatment expeditiously.
(6) Routine examination including parasitic checks shall be carried out regularly and preventive medicines including vaccination be administered at such intervals as may be prescribed by the veterinary doctor. Regular de-worming should be carried out once in three months with suitable medicine.
(7) Annual vaccination against Anthrax shall be mandatory and a proper record shall be maintained.
(8) The owner shall arrange for a medical checkup of the elephant once in a year to screen diseases like Tuberculosis, etc.
60 TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE [Part III—Sec. 1(a)
(9) The owner shall arrange for medical checkup of the mahout and cavady responsible for upkeep of the elephant at least once in a year to ensure that they do not have any communicable diseases, which may infect the elephant.
(10) The organisers of festivals where elephants are used shall submit in writing the programmes with details to the Station House Officer and the Range Officer of the Department having jurisdiction over the area, who in turn shall ensure the implementation of the provisions in these Rules well in advance.
(11) The elephant should not be taken to street and other places for begging or any other mean purposes.
(12) The owner shall inform within 24 hours to the Chief Wildlife Warden or the nearest forest office of the Department, the cases of attack of anthrax, rinderpest, hemorrhagic septicemia, surra or any other contagious diseases and shall follow the instructions issued by the authorities regarding the treatment of the animal or disposal of the carcass. The Chief Wildlife Warden or an officer authorized by him shall ensure proper veterinary assistance and advice.
(13) The owner shall obtain prior permission of the Chief Wildlife Warden or the officer authorised by him before undertaking distortions, sterilization, vasectomy, tubectomy or any other population control measures for the elephant and shall ensure the assistance of a competent veterinary doctor for these measures.
(14) The elephant showing symptoms of musth shall be got examined by a veterinary doctor.
(15) No drugs or intoxicants shall be used to suppress musth except on a written prescription by a veterinary doctor.
(16) The owner of the elephant shall ensure that in case of musth, the elephant is secured properly and does not become a hazard to the public at large.
(17) The Forest Department or Animal Husbandry Department shall depute the Veterinary Doctor to treat the elephant during musth under guidance of Chief Wildlife Warden or the Officer by authorised by him. The expenditure shall be met by the owner of the elephant.
(18) An elephant in musth shall not be put to any work. The elephants shall be fed as per the direction of the Veterinary Assistant Surgeon.
(19) The periodicity of musth shall be monitored by mahout and the elephant owner by testing the urine to find out the presence of testosterone hormone.
(20) No owner shall put to work any elephant having pregnancy of twelve months or above, or any cow elephant having a suckling calf of age below six months, or any elephant of height below six feet.
(21) No owner shall permit the use of nylon ropes or chains or hobbles with spikes or sharp edges for tying the elephants.
(22) Weight of the chains and hobbles shall be commensurate with age and health of the elephant.
(23) No owner shall permit any type of harness which may expose the back or other sensitive organs of the elephant to pain or injury.
(24) No owner shall permit his elephant to be trained by a trainer who is not approved by the Chief Wildlife Warden or the Officer authorised by him for the purpose.
(25) In the event of death of the elephant, the owner shall report to the Chief Wildlife Warden or to the officer authorised by him within twenty four hours and the certificate of ownership should also be surrendered to the Chief Wildlife Warden or the Officer authorized by him. The tusks or tushes of the dead elephant, if any, shall be declared to the Chief Wildlife Warden or the officer authorised by him within fifteen days of the death.
(26) The owner shall get the postmortem examination of the elephant done by a veterinary doctor in the presence of a Forest Officer having jurisdiction not below the rank of Range Officer and shall submit the report to the Chief Wildlife Warden or the officer authorized by him within fifteen days of the death of the elephant.
(27) The owner of the elephant shall be responsible for the loss of human life or injury to human beings caused by the elephant at any time.