Humane Society International (HSI) activists rescued a two-year-old Dalmatian which was allegedly abandoned by its owners and was left behind without food or water for seven days in a posh locality in Hyderabad’s LB Nagar.
The activists reached the spot on Saturday after the neighbours in the locality informed them of the dog that was stuck inside the house for over a week. The dog’s condition is said to be critical as it has been diagnosed with a urinary infection and prostate enlargement.
Speaking to TNM, Apoorva, a member of HSI and a lawyer by profession, said the dog was found under inhuman conditions when the team reached the spot to rescue the canine.
“We were informed late on Friday night about the dog and on Saturday morning we approached the cops with a complaint. The neighbours could not rescue the dog as the gate to the house was closed and the dog was left in a passage outside the house in the cold weather. When we finally managed to break open the gate, we found the dog was lying amidst its own pee and excreta. The entire area was stinking. The neighbours informed us that the house owners had left the place 7-8 days ago and had not even bothered to leave a bowl of water for the animal,” Apoorva said.
Teja Paneeru, another animal activist who was present at the spot, said that the owners were traced after the cops noted down the vehicle numbers of their two-wheelers parked outside the house.
“The owners were called and they told the cops that they had asked one of the neighbours to provide water and food to the dog. But after we enquired around, the neighbours said they had not seen anyone feeding the dog in the past one week,” Teja said.
After the dog was rescued, HSI sought custody of the animal. Presently, the Dalmatian is undergoing treatment as its condition is critical.
“Initially, the cops were reluctant to address the issue. Every time we approach the police, they ask us not to waste time behind an animal. So we carry around a printout of the laws under which they are supposed to take action against animal cruelty. It’s only then that they realise that they are obliged to register a complaint,” Apoorva says.
The accused owners returned to the city on Monday and the police have now registered an FIR.
A month ago, a dog was found dead in the balcony of an apartment in Hyderabad after it was abandoned. As the number of such animal cruelty cases increases in the city, Apoorva says that there needs to be an amendment to the animal laws which are as archaic as the colonial laws in India.
“In this case, the neighbours have said that the owners used to have a couple of pets before too and none of them knows what happened to the animals later on. If an individual is found indulging in animal cruelty for more than once, he/she can be jailed for 1-3 months. But here, we do not have enough evidence against the owner. And at present, the only fine that the accused has to pay is a mere sum of Rs 50. There have been discussions to raise the fee amount to Rs 6,000 but it’s a long way for the laws to be amended and the bill to pass,” Apoorva opines.
“Will the owners leave behind a 2-year-old human baby inside the house in a similar way? Then why do they think they can do the same with a dog? Those accused of animal cruelty should not be allowed to own a pet. The dog we rescued was alone and left in its own excreta. No animal should be left to starve in such a cruel manner,” Teja rued.