THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Years back, on a fine Christmas morning, city resident Maria Jacob received a frantic call from a stranger. It was an Indian Air Force officer. Tiger, his pet dog had passed away. Already tormented by the grief, the officer was searching for a place to give a final resting place for Tiger. Overwhelmed, Maria offered a place at her family’s ancestral property. And every month, until the non-Keralite IAF officer got posted outside Kerala, the grief-stricken family would arrive to spend time and offer flowers at the German Shepherd’s burial place.
For the many families in the city, the plight is the same. To find a final resting place for their pet dogs in the city once they make the crossover is still a huge concern. Even as the furry friends are accepted as family members by many city residents, the issue remains unaddressed.If all goes well, the city might get its own pet crematorium. The city corporation has received the administrative sanction to set up an electric pet crematorium.
“A cremation system should be in place for animals as well. Money has been allocated towards the crematorium in our annual plan,” says Mayor V K Prasanth. “The proposal was there since last year. The administrative santion has been received for the project under the people’s plan and for a nominal rate, pet owners can cremate their pets once the facility is set up. We are yet to start the tender proceedings,” he added.“When carcasses are thrown out in open areas, it causes grave problems. If we have a facility for cremating pets, it will be extremely helpful for people who do not have land to bury their pets,” says Annie Varghese, senior veterinary surgeon, Department of Animal Husbandry.
“We have to ensure a scientific disposal without any pollution. Moreover, such a facility can help dispose of the carcasses of diseased animals in a hygienic manner. In such cases, a crematorium is better to ensure hygiene than burying or using a biogas,” she adds. The vet adds that queries on ways to dispose of the carcasses are received on a frequent basis. “I suggest them to bury it at a friend’s place if they don’t have a place and that they should be done personally. There are chances of the carcasses ending up in our water bodies if outside help is sourced. And that they should go for a deep burial. In that light, having the crematorium will be highly helpful,” she adds.
With most pet owners considering pets as family, there is an urgent need to have a pet crematorium. “We receive calls periodically from pet owners regarding this. With most people considering pets as families, they yearn to provide a good burial for the pets. There have been times when some of our volunteers have offered their plots to bury the pets. A crematorium is the need of the hour,” says Latha I, People for Animals (PFA), Trivandrum chapter.