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City’s pet lovers stand against tales of cruelty
Dog lovers and activists share how to battle acts of animal abuse, such as the recent Paschim Vihar case. These are the numbers you can reach out to-The Pet Nest: 1800-123-0025PETA India: 91-98201 22602People for Animals (PFA) Delhi: 011-23357088 These are the numbers you can reach out to-
In a recent incident of animal cruelty taking place at Delhi’s Paschim Vihar, a man was spotted mercilessly beating a dog with an iron pipe. As the video started doing rounds on social media, some claimed that the man was bitten by the dog, in reaction to which he beat up the animal. In the footage, the man was also seen beating up the pet parents.
Since then, a case has been filed under IPC sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 323 (voluntary causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 451 (house-trespass to commit offence) and section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act against the attacker, who is in the hospital, being treated for dog bite.
While it’s an instant reaction to retaliate when bitten, does it justify the gruesomeness of the act of hitting another living being? “If there is an animal that is causing you any inconvenience, or if you notice a stray behaving unusually, contact the authorities in your area,” shares Mamta Naithani, who runs a social media page for rescue dogs called Desi Dogs. She adds, “We have the Nagar Nigam to take care of such matters. Do not take it into your own hands or hit the animals!”
Explaining what one should do in case they witness such cases of animal cruelty, Chandrakant Yadav, co-founder of The Pet Care, an animal cruelty reporting organisation, shares, “You should report it to the police. Once an FIR is filed, the police will involve the municipality. You can reach out to any anti-cruelty organisation working for animals. Our first aim is to rescue the animal and provide it with first aid, if required. We can then assist you in reporting the incident to the police.”
Anjali Gopalan, an animal rights activist opines, “Any such kind of cruelty should be immediately reported, and we must take the legal recourse. There should ideally be an Animal Police Force that works specifically towards the protection of animals. We also need to educate our children on coexisting with animals.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Tripti Sharma, a final-year student at Motilal Nehru College, Delhi University, and founder of The Desi Club, which works against animal cruelty, says, “We need stricter laws to curtail such acts. As a society we have to show responsibility.”
“We as habitants of the city should come together and form local neighbourhood bodies to work against such inhumane acts in our respective areas,” says Arindam Banerjee, a student and dog lover, who is involved in rescuing dogs in his neighbourhood, feeding them and providing them with necessary medical attention. “We as youth should stand up in solidarity against such crimes. If possible, try involving the police in the functioning. This shall create the awareness and fear among those who do not think twice before committing these crimes,” he adds.
There are also some organisations where one can reach out and report in case they witness any act involving animal abuse. “PETA India’s cruelty response team empowers every caller who reports animal abuse by explaining the legalities and the process of taking action. We also work with the local police or the relevant authority and the complainant to ensure the perpetrators are booked under stringent provisions of the law for crimes against animals,” says Meet Ashar, an animal rights advocate, lawyer and the manager of Cruelty Response Projects at PETA India.
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