BENGALURU: On Monday, a 10-day-old Siberian husky pup, named Nanuk Husky, was found dumped off a lane on Commercial Street with its hind legs cut. This triggered animal activists to start an online petition, #AdoptDontShop, and ask the Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare Board officials to take stern action against illegal breeders in the city. Nanuk passed away on Tuesday. The petition by CJ Memorial Trust Bangalore received over 2,500 signatures within 24 hours.
Animal activists said, “She had not even opened her eyes. When found, she was rushed to CARE, where OPD staff and vets removed maggots from the tiny stumps, dressed and bandaged them up. Her both the legs were cut of equally. It could be an act of cruelty or this is what breeders do or it can even be a direct effect of inbreeding.”
“Like Nanuk, there are thousands of dogs that are put through such trauma and still, people want to buy such high-pedigree dogs from breeders. We have no idea what goes in the background,” activists said.They demanded that state governments and city councils promote #AdoptDontShop, stop the sale of any dogs till the shelters are empty, and provide alternate employment to those in the unlicensed breeding and pet sale industry, so that they do not go back to their lucrative but blood-soaked business.
It urged people to sign a pledge that all schools and offices will commit to follow a #AdoptDontShop agenda. A member of the Trust said that the animal husbandry is the most neglected department, with three ministers, four secretaries and three commissioners and directors changed in two years.
“As there are frequent transfers, we have to keep briefing different officers about the same issues. It’s
high time we traced illegal breeders and closed all their shops,” he added.