Why one polythene bag can kill a cow — and what you can do
Cows mistake plastic for food. It collects in their stomach until they cannot eat at all. Here's how small changes at home save lives.
Every week our ambulance brings in at least one cow who has stopped eating. Her stomach is hard and swollen, she is weak and dehydrated — and in almost every case, the cause is the same: polythene.
Why cows eat plastic
Street cows search for food in garbage heaps. Leftover vegetables, rotis and peels are often thrown away tied inside plastic bags. The cow cannot untie the bag, so she swallows it whole — food, plastic and all.
What happens inside
A cow's stomach cannot digest plastic. Bag after bag collects in the rumen and forms a hard mass. Slowly there is no room left for real food. She feels full but is starving. Without surgery, she dies a slow and painful death. We have removed as much as 20 kg of polythene from a single cow.
What you can do at home
- Never throw food waste inside plastic bags — empty it into a dustbin or compost pit
- Give leftover rotis and vegetable peels directly, on a plate or on clean ground
- Carry a cloth bag to the market and say no to thin polythene
- Tell your neighbours, shopkeepers and children's schools why this matters
If you see a cow who has stopped eating
Call our 24x7 helpline at +91 76652 52811. The sooner we reach her, the better her chances.