People abandoning their pets are cruel and ignorant: Richa

Richa Chadha is upset with the way people are treating their pets

titas.chowdhury@htlive.com

Richa Chadha

A while ago, Richa Chadha took to social media to share a video where she was seen feeding stray cats. A mother to a cat named Kamli, she has always been vocal about the well-being of animals. At a time of a health crisis that has stemmed from the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, she believes that animals on the streets are bearing the brunt. “It’s not like they’ve a committee that puts forth their demands and informs us of their problems. They don’t grow their food and in urban spaces, they don’t hunt much. So, they obviously aren’t getting the food which they otherwise would because of human activity,” she says.

Reports suggest that many are giving up on their pets out of fear that they may contract Coronavirus. Sharing her thought about it, she says, “Those people are cruel and ignorant. Pets are not shown to get infected or be carriers of the virus. A pet is like your child. I can’t imagine abandoning a pet in any circumstances. Imagine how they’d feel! They’d be so confused because one day they’re loved and the other day, just thrown on the street.”

Peacocks, bison, elephants and leopards, among other animals, were seen roaming around many Indian cities. Talking about these animals that took to the streets in the city, she elaborates, “Humans can’t ignore animals. They use animals for food, milk and leather. I think more people are realising how threatened other species feel because of humans. That’s why so many of them are sharing videos of peacocks and birds.”