Activists rescue six canines

Six female canines, belonging to three different breeds, were rescued from various areas of the city during raids by People for Animals (PFA) activists on Thursday night. Jatin Anand reports.

Six female canines, belonging to three different breeds, were rescued from various areas of the city during raids by People for Animals (PFA) activists on Thursday night.

HT Image

The animals were held in captivity and routinely forced into abnormal reproductive cycles by their 'owner', depending on customer demand for their pups.

According to Saurabh Gupta, president, PFA, while four female dogs were rescued from central Delhi's Prasad Nagar during one raid, a subsequent raid at Vivek Vihar led to the rescue of two more.

"In both cases, the animals were found stuffed inside small cages. There was no ventilation and not even a bowl of water was kept beside them. Cases have been registered by the local police against the owners," said Gupta.

Gupta said that while a female Doberman, a German Shepherd and two Labrador retrievers were recovered from Prasad Nagar, a German Shepherd and a Labrador were rescued from Vivek Vihar.

"For dogs, the normal reproductive cycle comes just twice a year - in March and in October. But the captors of the rescued animals were forcibly injecting them with steroids so that they could deliver pups to their customers as many as four times a year," Gupta said.