Animal lovers up in arms against festival that promotes dog eating, Bollywood celebs support

Animal rights activists, animal lovers and Bollywood celebs have come together against a festive celebration in Nagaland that promotes dog eating.

A picture of dogs with tied mouths and bodies has created uproar on the internet. It’s said that the picture belongs to the animal bazaar in Dimapur, Nagaland where these dogs are sold to be eaten. This sight of animal cruelty has shocked most, right from the Bollywood celebs to animal right activists.

This picture went viral on social media recently, and garnered the attention of animal lovers to speak up against it.(Photo: Twitter)

 

“I was shocked to read the horrific details! I’m a dog lover and so is my family... and couldn’t bear the fact that the dogs in the viral picture will be killed and eaten.”
– Ineka Tewari, a DU student

Ineka Tewari, a 23-year-old Delhi University student who has started an online petition against this act, says, “This is the first time I put up a petition. I was shocked to read the horrific details! I’m a dog lover and so is my family; we have been feeding 400 street dogs everyday at T3 Terminal for the last nine years. We have also rescued and adopted many dogs, and couldn’t bear the fact that the dogs in the viral picture will be killed and eaten. My father had also written to animal rights activist and Member of Parliament, Maneka Gandhi about my petition and she responded to us asking me to send my protest letter to Temjen Roy, chief secretary of Nagaland.”

“The practice of killing and eating dogs has become a tradition in Nagaland. This all happens in an open street market, so what values are they passing on to the youngsters?”
– Nidhi Mishra, animal rights activist

Non profit organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is also in touch with the representatives of The Nagaland Animal Welfare Society, who’ve met the chief secretary urging to stop the killing of dogs for meat. Nidhi Mishra, an animal rights activist from Posh Foundation, Noida, says, “This is so inhuman; the practice of killing and eating dogs has become a tradition in Nagaland. This all happens in an open street market, so what values are they passing on to the youngsters? This is not a celebration, and should be banned right away!”

 

Bollywood celebs have also been tweeting vociferously against the brutality that the dogs are meted with, at this animal market, and expressed their concern over the issue. Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar has retweeted a post, tagging ministries and activists, and wrote: “This is shocking, pls raise your voice, This barbaric act must stop.” Among others who have taken to social media to express this support, for a ban on such animal cruelty, are actor-filmmaker Pooja Bhatt, actor Sunny Leone, producer Tanujj Garg, and former Indian cricketer Murali Kartik.

The original tweet that went viral reads: “These dogs were being taken from West Bengal to Nagaland on the 26th of last month to be SOLD for MEAT. Please please write an EMAIL to csngl@nic.in, asking for this practise to be stopped. If they get 50,000+ emails tonight, they will act against this.”

Actor Sunny Leone, replying to Bhatt’s tweet, writes on Twitter: “I am so sad to see this! The killing of these dogs and torture is something I believe should stop. These animals have no voice but we can be their voice to help save them! These animals are suppose to be our friends/loyal companions/family members & not sitting on a plate to EAT! How do you tell this sweet face he’s not good enough to live!! Have a voice! Have a heart! Say NO with me and end the Dog Meat Trade!”

Author tweets @ruchikagarg271

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