As the saying goes ‘dogs are man’s best friend’. But a recent case in Maharashtra’s Thane proves otherwise.
A video showing two staff at a pet clinic mercilessly punching and kicking a dog has gone viral on various social media platforms, prompting even Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to take the incident seriously.
Many people, including some Bollywood actors, like Varun Dhawan, Bhumi Pednekar, Malaika Arora, have also expressed their anger over the viral video, demanding justice for the dog. Additionally, it has also put a spotlight on the country’s animal cruelty laws, with many saying that in their current form they are toothless and don’t have any bite.
We take a closer look at what exactly happened in this horrific case and what our current laws say about animal cruelty.
Punches rained down on Chow Chow
A few days ago, a video went viral where two men were seen punching and kicking a dog at a pet clinic in Maharashtra’s Thane. The horrific abuse took place at Vetic Pet Clinic located at R Mall in Thane. The clinic specializes in grooming and caring for pets.
The video shows two clinic staff repeatedly punching a Chow Chow, named Tofu, in the face and back. After that, the dog was seen getting off the stretcher and walking out of the room even though the man kicked it.
A shocking video has gone viral on social media platforms showing a man mercilessly beating a pet dog. #Thane district of #Maharashtra. The incident allegedly took place at a pet clinic on #GBRoad in the city. Two people have been arrested in connection with the case.
In… pic.twitter.com/nRmDsmQkCI
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) February 14, 2024
Soon after the video went viral, Nilesh Bhange, a trustee of animal rights organization PAWS, and several others approached the Kasarwadavli police station and an anonymous complaint was registered. Social media users also condemned the act, calling for action against the staff as well as the clinic where the incident took place.
Later, Street Dogs of Bombay, an animal rights group, said the accused – Mayur Michael Aadhav, 19, and Prashant Sanjay Gaikwad, 20 – had been arrested. The owner of the dog, the NGO said, has also taken legal action against the accused.
Call for action against the accused
Many big names, political and from Bollywood, have protested the incident. Maharashtra MLA MLA Pratap Sarnaik, from the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde, urged the police to take strict action. Sarnaik was quoted as saying Midday, “The video went viral across the country raising concerns about animal cruelty. Even the Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, received a related complaint. I request Thane Police Commissioner Ashutosh Dumbre to lodge an FIR, in the matter even if a non-cognizable case is booked.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also expressed his disgust at the incident. He wrote on Instagram, “I just saw this video. This man deserves double the way he treats these voiceless creatures.”
Celebs have also expressed their concern over the abuse of four-legged animals. Malaika Arora wrote on Instagram, “I am shocked… this despicable person needs to be punished and beaten mercilessly. How can violence like this go away.”
She further wrote, “I just hope the poor helpless doggie is okay. I was so angry that I believed they had gotten him. Now the authorities it is time for action and severe punishment.
Others like Bhumi Pednekar, Riteish Deshmukh, Amruta Arora, Sonu Sood, Varun Dhawan have raised their voice in this regard.
Increasing cases of animal cruelty in India
In the past few years, there has been an alarming increase in the number of cases where puppies, dogs, and cats have been burned alive, thrown from high-rise buildings, or mercilessly beaten. In fact, the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO) wrote in a 2023 report that there were 20,000 deliberate and brutal crimes against animals in the last 10 years in India. This means that an average of five wild animals are killed every day in a violent act.
What is even more surprising is that the report states that the actual number could be at least 10 times higher, which means 50 animal deaths per day and an average of two animals needlessly killed every hour in the country.
And if you look back at the newspapers in the last two to three years, there are some horrific cases that have been reported. For example, a dog was hanged to death by two youths in Ghaziabad in November 2022. In September of the same year, a doctor in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur tied a dog to his car and dragged it across the city. And in March of 2016, a woman in Bengaluru threw eight puppies on a rock to kill them because she didn’t want them on her street.
There is also the horrific incident from Lucknow in April last year. An entire family of dogs was subjected to unspeakable brutality inside the campus of Lucknow University. Some of the puppies were poisoned while the mother was burned so badly that she was left with almost no skin.
And even last week, a puppy was thrown from a high-rise building in Greater Noida onto the road, resulting in the animal’s death.
The boy picked up a puppy from his lap and threw it down. The video is of 14 Avenue Gaur City-2 in Greater Noida. Today, there is a civil war like situation in Noida-Ghaziabad societies over street dogs. pic.twitter.com/iU7PCTTwuZ
— Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) February 2, 2024
The ‘toothless’ laws that deal with animal cruelty
The Thane incident and other such episodes have made many question what India’s animal cruelty laws are and whether they are effective.
In fact, people found to have committed such a heinous crime were charged under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. This law came about thanks to the efforts of Rukmini Devi Arundale, the first woman in India nominated to the Rajya Sabha, who introduced a private member’s Bill in this regard.
The Act defines cruelty to animals –– including acts of overburdening or overworking it, not providing the animal with food, water and shelter, cursing or killing the animal, etc. As per the law, first time offenders can be fined not less than Rs 50 but not more than Rs 100. In case of second or subsequent offense committed within three years of the previous offence, the fine shall not be less to Rs 25 but may extend to Rs 100 or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or both.
A call to change the law
However, animal welfare activists including the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a body established under the 1960 Act, have called for a change in the law, calling it zero-bite.
In 2016, a group of animal welfare organizations and activists came together and started the #NoMore50 campaign, urging the Indian government to amend the 1960 Act to update the penalties to act as a deterrent. The number 50 is a reference to the ridiculously low fine imposed as punishment under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Several prominent names joined this campaign, including actor Nagarjuna as well as former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi.
Thank you @iamnagarjuna & Amala Ji for supporting #Gone 50 campaign to increase penalties for #AnimalWefare pic.twitter.com/ZhTCJsH2va
— HSI/India (@IndiaHSI) May 13, 2016
Even the Supreme Court in ‘Animal Welfare Board of India vs A Nagaraja & Others’ said that the 1960 Act needs to be amended to provide an effective deterrent in the form of adequate punishments and penalties.
In Parliament too, there are private member’s bills proposing an amendment to the 1960 Act. In September 2020, Kishanganj MP Mohammad Jawed introduced a Bill stating that the punishment for cruelty to animals should be Rs 25,000 fine or imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or both, and in case of second or subsequent offence, the fine shall be between Rs 50,000 and 1 lakh and imprisonment for a term not less than one year but which may extend to two years.”
And in 2022, the Center formulated the Draft Prevention of Cruelty against Animals (Amendment) Bill, 2022 following discussions and deliberations with stakeholders. The amended law includes ‘bestiality’ as a crime under the new category of ‘graesome cruelty’ and defines gruesome cruelty as “an act that leads to severe pain and suffering in animals which may cause life-long disability or death” .
The proposed law states, “Heinous cruelty shall be punishable with a minimum fine of Rs 50,000 which may extend up to Rs 75,000 or such amount as may be decided by the judicial magistrate in consultation with the jurisdictional veterinarians whichever is more. or to the imprisonment of one. year which may extend to three years or both.” It further proposed a maximum five-year jail term, along with a fine, for animal slaughter.
However, it is yet to be tabled in Parliament, with activists mounting pressure on the Center to table it and pass it.
Maybe when the law is passed and stricter penalties are put in place, won’t we see and report the heinous and heinous crimes against animals in society.
With inputs from agencies
