The animal husbandry department in Mahad, Raigad, has had to contend with the issue of abandoned ponies, as shepherds in the region have been reeling under extreme poverty due to the pandemic. Two days ago, the department took five abandoned ponies into custody, of which one died due to malnutrition.

According to officials, the shepherds, who mostly belong to the nomadic tribes, have had no source of income since the lockdown began in March. Cyclone Nisarga, which hit the district earlier this month, only made it worse.