KOCHI: In the wake of a recent incident in which a dog tied to a speeding car and dragged on the road, animal rights activists have shone the spotlight on similar, recurring instances of pet brutality.While many of the pets turn unwanted overnight, almost all such abandoned dogs belong to pedigree breeds. NGOs in the city say that an average of 10 to 15 mistreatment cases come to light every month
In a horrifying case of animal brutality that surfaced on Saturday, a dog tied by its neck to the rear end of a speeding car was dragged by the driver for almost two kilometres in North Paravoor. The incident which went viral on social media after a passerby uploaded the video on the internet shocked animal lovers across the state. While the case has brought to focus the subject of animal abuse, this was far from a lone incident. In September, a female dog succumbed to its injuries after a resident of Cheranelloor panchayat threw boiling water on it. Three months before the incident, a dog was rescued from Thrissur with its mouth sealed with an induction tape.
According to animal rights activists, anywhere between 20 and 30 pet animals, mostly dogs, are found in and around Kochi abandoned by their owners. While adequate data on abused animals is hard to come by due to difficulty in setting proper evidence, approximate figures estimated by NGOs in the city show that an average of 10 to 15 mistreatment cases come to light every month.
“Cases of abuse are not usually reported because the information should be coming from the neighbours and in most instances, people are hesitant to complain as they are reluctant to tarnish social relations. Secondly, we rely on evidence before we confront the abuser and it is not easy to get our hands on solid proof. The recent video is one of the rare instances where there is video proof,” says Dr Akshay V Prabhu, a gynaec-laparoscopic surgeon associated with the Dhyan Foundation, one of the largest charitable organisations and shelters in the city working for animal welfare.
Of the pets abandoned in secluded parts of Kochi, almost all dogs belong to pedigree breeds. While Labradors make up the highest number, Rottweilers, German Shepherds and Dachshunds comprise a majority of dogs disowned. “Indians don’t know how to maintain and look after high-energy dogs. They buy them as a trophy but most foreign breeds are prone to skin and other infections which prove expensive to be treated. Soon, the excitement wears off and the pet becomes a burden.
That is the reason why so many pedigree dogs are abandoned,” says Ashwini Prem, a founding member of Oneness Foundation which is involved in rescue and rehabilitation of animals. Over the last two months alone, Oneness has rescued 37 abandoned and abused animals.
Abbakka on road to recovery
Named Abbakka, after the freedom fighter Rani Abbakka Chowta, the dog dragged on the road by a speeding car has been rescued by NGO Daya Animal Welfare Organisation and is currently under their care. “She has suffered many bruises on the body which are being treated. She is under antibiotics,” says Sonika Sathish, veterinary surgeon at the Animal Birth Control facility in Brahmapuram run by the Kochi Corporation
Need for amendment
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA), 1960 currently stipulates a meagre fine of Rs 50 for brutality against animals that includes heinous crimes such as beating, kicking, torturing and mutilating. For years, activists have been calling for an amendment to the 60-year-old Act which would not only hike the penalty but also make such acts cognisable. A bill regarding the same is yet to be passed. “Passing the amendment has become the need of the hour. We have also been calling for stricter permit procedures for pet shop owners and breeders,” says Ashwini Prem. Furthermore, suggestions have been made to include lessons on sensitivity towards animals in school syllabus for children