HC asks Customs dept to update on well-being of seized animals, en route to Dubai

Mumbai: The vacation bench of the Bombay high court (HC) recently directed the Customs department to give an update on the well-being of 3,332 seized animals being illegally exported to Dubai for Eid celebrations

Mumbai: The vacation bench of the Bombay high court (HC) recently directed the Customs department to give an update on the well-being of 3,332 seized animals being illegally exported to Dubai for Eid celebrations.

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The animals, including goats and sheep, were being brought from Ahmedabad in a ship, the Customs department swung into action after receiving specific information and with the help of the coast guard seized the vessel on April 21 and brought it to Angre port in Ratnagiri.

After the seizure, the magistrate court in Ratnagiri on April 25 directed the Customs department to tag the animals and hand them over to Dhyan Foundation, an animal welfare NGO. However, after the beneficiary- an export firm intervened, the magistrate order was reversed by the chief judicial magistrate court on May 10.

The HC was informed that out of the 3,398 animals that were seized on April 21, around 1,379 animals died due to lack of proper care till May 10 and another 240 had died till May 15 when the petition was heard by HC.

The Customs department through advocates Jitendra Mishra and Dhananjay Deshmukh informed the bench that they had abided by the magistrate court order and had got the animals checked by a veterinary officer.

The HC was further told that Dr D S Jagdale the deputy director of animal husbandry had informed the Customs department on May 4 that as the animals were under travelling stress, further tagging for identification could increase the stress and hence the animals should not be ear tagged at this point. The procedure was postponed up to the health recovery of the animals.

After hearing the submissions, the single judge bench of justice Gauri Godse sought a status report on the condition and health of the remaining animals. The petition will be heard on June 13.