Animal welfare organization says around 80 percent of animal cruelty cases go unreported.
Naresh, Vice-chair person at Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Krishnagiri, said that 80 percent of animal cruelty cases go unreported since people do not bother about animals around them. He also said they receive one animal abuse case every two months and this year so far, they have received 12 cases. This marks an approximate 30 to 35 percent increase from last year. “Four to five months ago, we filed a police complaint against a man who killed a dog due to a communal conflict. The dog belonged to his rival and he abused the dog to death,” said Naresh.
Despite the implementation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, animal cruelty continues to be practiced. An FIR from the Kengeri Police station shows that the dog of a 45-year-old resident of SMV layout was poisoned by her neighbour. The case was registered under the Animal Cruelty Act. “We receive around three to four cases of animal cruelty a year,” said Arun, constable at Kengeri Police station.Section11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act says that if a person beats, kicks, tortures, or even injects harmful drugs, making that animal suffer in pain, then he would be punished.
Crimes against animals are on the rise says a 2019 study by Maneesha Mishra and Arpita Mitra. It also states that despite legal initiatives, animals are tortured, and brutally victimized for purposes like entertainment and business, also fines imposed on the person practicing animal cruelty are less when compared to the suffering caused to the animal.
Karthik, Curator at PFA Bangalore said that they rescue almost 200 to 300 birds per month. “The Indian ring-necked parakeets are wild species which are not supposed to be kept as petsare often kept in captivity by people and by fortune tellers. In either of the cases, the birds are kept in small boxes and their wings are clipped off.”
Dr Karnal Navaz S, chief of People for Animals (PFA) a Non-Governmental-Organization, in Bangalore said that the lack of stricter laws and inhumane approaches has contributed in brutalities towards animals. “We need something like the animal police or the canine police dedicated to rescuing animals and dealing with animal cruelty since the regular police are least concerned in dealing with animal cruelty cases,” said Navaz. He added that people often use these animals for business and entertainment purposes like fighting, tarot-reading and black magic.
Political parties also capture eagles and owls as they are supposed to bring goodluck during elections, while some people perform black magic to injure the Slender Loris, piercing their limbs and ripping their eyes off. “We get around three to four cases of injured Slender Loris a year and rescue around 30 to 35 birds during the elections.”
Aakash S, 26,apet parent said that his dog was injured by a group of teenagers when it barked at them. “They hit him with stones and injured his right hind leg; he was limping and could not walk properly for days. My dog was actually chained and could never cause them harm, but they still threw stones at him,” says Aakash.
Dr Arkoprabho R, a veterinary surgeon based out of West Bengal said that people continue doing such deeds to animals and leave them unattended to suffer and die. “We could save a very small population of animals who fall prey to animal cruelty as most people lack awareness towards animal cruelty,” he added.
