More and more Americans each day are turning to cow hugs for comfort during the Covid-19 pandemic.The animal therapy practice of 'cow cuddling' is becoming extremely popular in the West and the costs range anywhere between 75$ to 200$ per hour. Cow cuddling sessions at some places are booked until July and even beyond.
"People are signing up to hug cows at sanctuaries across the country, many desperate for affection as the nation approaches a full year of social distancing during the pandemic," the Washington Post had reported in March this year.
One such facility, Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary, a five-acre property in Arizona which is rated as one of the top animal sanctuaries in the United States, is conducting cow hugging tours where people get a chance to hug and snuggle a cow for "an experience you’ll never forget!".
Did you know that cow cuddling is a growing wellness trend? CNBC's @janewells has more. pic.twitter.com/WcynuhXMNw
— The News with Shepard Smith (@thenewsoncnbc) May 20, 2021
"People have come from all over the world to hug our cows. The cows bring tears of joy to your eyes and a warmth in your heart that it is an experience like none other. Our animal therapy sessions for one on one visits or a full group builds confidence in many ways," says Aimee, owner of the sanctuary who is herself a trauma survivor with PTSD, on the website of her farm.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Pashu Vigyan Arogya Mela in Mathura in 2019 (Image courtesy: PIB)
Meanwhile, many in India have taken to social media, saying that the world is finally waking up to what the country has been teaching for ages. Seeking out bovine comfort is not a new phenomenon in this part of the world.
"At $200 an hour, cow hugging is a growing wellness trend in the United States. Clearly, India was ahead of the curve — dharmic scriptures have venerated cows & cattle for over 3,000 years," tweeted Milind Deora, a former Communications and Shipping minister for the Indian government, on Saturday tagging a video news report on cow cuddling from American broadcaster CNBC.
India has always given high importance to cows and cow products. Ayurveda lists cow’s milk, curd and ghee as an essential part of the balanced diet.
The Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) constituted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the conservation, protection and development of cows and their progeny continues to give direction to the cattle development programmes.
RKA has been consistently working on increasing the use of various cow-panchgavya products to raise the income of farmers.
