In the capital New Delhi, an unidentified man was caught on CCTV attacking a dog and killing a puppy outside a metro station. A housewife in the southern state of Karnataka smashed eight puppies on a boulder. In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, a man in an inebriated state poured acid on five new born puppies and their mother. The west central state of Maharashtra registered a case in which a traffic police officer was arrested for the brutal assault on a stray dog, which led to permanent blindness in one eye. Around 50 community dogs were sedated with food laced with pesticide and then burned alive in the south-eastern state of Tamil Nadu. Well, these are just a few cases out the thousands that have been reported.

All these incidents had taken place within the span of a month, with the last one occurring quite recently.

There is no central agency where all these cases can be documented, but NGOs including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, People for Animals, Friendicoes and certain welfare organisations report constant complaints regarding animal cruelty.

Like several other countries around the world, hurting animals in India is also considered a punishable offence. But the lack of effective laws indirectly encourages the occurrence of such tragic incidents. The maximum punishment under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 is a fine of 50 rupees (about US 70 cents) or imprisonment up to three months or both.

Cruelty to animals has no place in modern medical schools,too.When compared to the West, it is apparent how urgent it is for the law to be revised. In the United States, acts of cruelty against animals are now counted in the FBI’s criminal database. In Australia, the maximum penalty for animal cruelty offences is a five-year prison term and a fine of A$50,000 (US$36,000) for individuals and A$250,000 for corporations.We Indians, incur the penalty as a joke, which clearly implies that they have no responsibility towards protecting animals.

“Prevention of cruelty to animals came in 1960, but the penalties have not been revised for the last 50 years. We need to push the government hard to revise the penalties now because these few attacks which have taken place recently have kind of acted like a catalyst in this entire movement, now we require a total end to this.

Therefore, what we need is stricter laws! Offenders should be given cruel punishments in order to help them realize the torment of the animals, and make them realise that they are indeed, a blessing by God.

WHAT WE NEED IS A CHANGE, A PERMANENT CHANGE! PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION IN ORDER TO MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT REALISE THAT STRICTER LAWS NEED TO BE MADE !

Yours Sincerely,

PPAP