What Should We Know About Animal Cruelty In India?
| By- Prateek Balana |
"Unseen they suffer,
Unheard they cry,
In agony, they linger,
In loneliness, they die.”
Cruelty and inhumanity towards animals in India is up surging and majority of people are unaware of the rules established by the government to protect these innocent animals from cruelty. As Mahatma Gandhi rightly said that “The greatness and moral progress of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. But here in India everyone doesn’t feel the same because there have been hike in cases of animal cruelty and what is being done to stop this? Are we talking about those Laws which people even aren’t even aware about! We see animal cruelty on daily basis like bullock carts, horse carts, bulls being castrated and the most important one torturing of stray dogs just for fun!!
In this world of modernization and development people are slowly losing their ethos and morals not only towards each other but towards these innocent animals as well. Citizens who are capable of inflicting such pain on the defenseless and harmless deserve no place in society, so it is fitting that there should be some deterrent against such actions guaranteed by our Constitution. And so there is a fine up to 50 rupees, under the ancient Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960. Are we kidding ourselves? You can’t even buy a pilot pen with that amount. Unlike other social issues this topic isn’t widely discussed over media. Why? Because it directly doesn’t affect our lives so no one cares. In this corona pandemic rather than keeping pets safe inside people threw them out and abandoned them fearing that they could catch the virus from their pets. Actually the problem lies in lack of education and people don’t want to get educated on this topic because it is a waste of time.
I bet most of us didn’t even care enough to find out about animal abuse laws in our country till now. But I think everyone can agree that legislation in our country against animal cruelty needs to be drastically changed. In fact, an amendment to this law has been awaiting ratification from the Government of India for the past seven years: but no progress seems to be made. The topic of animal welfare is still in embryonic stage in India.
The pharmaceutical industries play a major role in animal cruelty by making animals their test puppet injecting them with various disease and are being funded by the governments in the name of human welfare but what about the lives of the innocent and speechless souls? In the name of religion people are sacrificing innocents when you ask them why? They are like our god demands that. And how can we forget our major textile and leather industries which in sake of fashion are peeling and ripping the animal skin. Tell me what kind of fashion is this murdering an animal and wearing them.
Due to over exploitation the One horned Rhinos are no more One horned Rhinos they have become “NO HORNED RHINOS” and no one takes the responsibility for this. The snakes and crocodiles fear of losing their lives to be someone’s purse and boots and coats. The elephants have their tusks no more and you all know the recent incident which happened in this state with highest literacy rate in India and pregnant elephant was brutally murdered by the locals in Kerala by feeding an innocent soul searching for a pineapple filled with fire crackers. These kind of things are just a source of entertainment of our people. Why only cow is the holy animal? Why can’t people see every animal as a holy animal? The mindset has to change now.
If your animal love is only restricted to petting your own pet or feeding biscuits to stay animals or commenting ‘awed’ on cute animal videos, then let me tell me to tell you, its fake animal love. If you are a true animal lover, then your love must exceed beyond just this. It should involve protecting, caring, raising your voice and fighting against animal cruelty.
Here are some basic laws as being Indian citizen you should know-
1. It is the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to have compassion for all living creatures.
2. To kill or maim any animal, including stray animals, is a punishable offence.
3. Abandoning any animal for any reason can land you in prison for up to three months.
4. No animal (including chickens) can be slaughtered in any place other than a slaughterhouse. Sick or pregnant animals shall not be slaughtered.
5. Stray dogs that have been operated for birth control cannot be captured or relocated by anybody including any authority.
6. Neglecting an animal by denying her sufficient food, water, shelter and exercise or by keeping him chained/confined for long hours is punishable by a fine or imprisonment of up to 3 months or both.
7. Monkeys are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and cannot be displayed or owned.
8. Bears, monkeys, tigers, panthers, lions and bulls are prohibited from being trained and used for entertainment purposes, either in circuses or streets.
9. Animal sacrifice is illegal in every part of the country.
10. Organizing of or participating in or inciting any animal fight is a cognizable offence.
11. Cosmetics tested on animals and the import of cosmetics tested on animals is banned.
12. Teasing, feeding or disturbing the animals in a zoo and littering the zoo premises is an offence punishable by a fine of Rs.25000 or imprisonment of up to three years or both.
13. Capturing, trapping, poisoning or baiting of any wild animal or even attempting to do so is punishable by law, with a fine of up to Rs.25000 or imprisonment of up to seven years or both.
14. Disturbing or destroying eggs or nests of birds and reptiles or chopping a tree having nests of such birds and reptiles or even attempting to do so constitutes to hunting and attracts a punishment of a fine of up to Rs. 25000, or imprisonment of up to seven years or both.
15. Conveying or carrying animals whether in or upon any vehicle, in any manner or position which causes discomfort, pain or suffering is a punishable offence under two Central Acts.
Do not neglect animals just because they don’t belong to your ‘species’. They too suffer from pain and understand the acts of kindness. Embrace them belong they are an integral part of the society, embrace them because they belong.
Say no to animal cruelty.
(Prateek Balana is a Veterinary Student who has been working for animal welfare since the past three years in Rajasthan, India)
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