Activists seek DM’s help to end cruelty to animals

Noida: Animal activists in the district are seeking the help of the administration to reduce both cruelty to animals and harassment of volunteers and dog lovers

Noida: Animal activists in the district are seeking the help of the administration to reduce both cruelty to animals and harassment of volunteers and dog lovers in the district.

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Office-bearers and volunteers of People for Animals (PFA) met district magistrate (DM) BN Singh on Monday to highlight illegal displacement of animals, especially dogs, from residential areas.

“There have been several instances of cruelty to dogs by residents or resident bodies in high-rises and residential sectors. Some have been caught on camera and police cases are often registered but to no end. Most of the incidents go unreported. Several times, notices have been issued to the erring party to comply with the law but there has been no improvement in the treatment of animals,” Kaveri Bhardwaj, president, PFA, Gautam Budh Nagar, said.

The volunteers also said a lot of animal lovers in residential areas who take care of strays are often harassed by the people around them.

“A couple in a high-rise in Sector 74, who takes care of nearly 70 stray dogs, is being harassed by those in the society. They are tenants and the management is asking the landlord to evict them. This is no way to treat people,” Bhardwaj alleged.

She also said PFA is planning on filing a PIL by December before the Allahabad high court, similar to one filed in Uttarakhand in which the court granted a legal entity status to animals.

Volunteers believe that the situation can be improved drastically if awareness is created. “We not only need to stop cruelty to animals, we also have to make them understand that it is wrong to hold a grudge against animal lovers. That is why we raised these concerns in the meeting today with the DM. Hopefully, with the administration’s intervention, necessary notices will be issued and the situation can be handled,” Nitin Tewari, volunteer, PFA, said.

The DM has directed the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) to hold a meeting within the 10 days, and PFA volunteers will also be present at the meeting.

“Both bodies are doing similar work so it will be good to address all major concerns on a common platform. All issues will be looked into and we will take necessary action as soon as possible,” Singh said.