KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday granted permission to a pet owner to step out and buy biscuits for his cats. The petitioner, N Prakash of Maradu in Ernakulam district, approached the court challenging the denial of a vehicle pass by the police to go out and purchase pet food.
When the case came up for hearing, the court asked the petitioner whether his cats
will not eat other food. The petitioner submitted that he has three cats at home and the cats are given “Meo-Persian” biscuits since he is a pure vegetarian and non-vegetarian food is not cooked in his house.
Normally one packet containing 7 kg of Meo Persian biscuits is sufficient to feed the cats for three weeks. The petitioner used to purchase the cat food from a pet hospital situated at Eroor. However he exhausted the stock after the government declared the lockdown.
The petitioner contacted a pet hospital at Kadavanthra and was informed that Meo Persian biscuits were available there. The petitioner submitted a request for an affidavit to travel to the hospital in Kadavantara on April 5. But it was rejected by the police.
During the argument, police said that this was an essential service and no pass
was required. The petitioner can go out and purchase the feed for the cat producing a self-declaration. The court permitted him to go to the cat food store by producing a self-declaration and a copy of the judgment.