The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has asked for suggestions from various stakeholders for the proposed amendment in the 60 year old Prevention of cruelty to animals act 1960. The stakeholders may send in their suggestions regarding the amendment at the following email id:
awd-section@dahd.nic.in
Caregivers and Animal rights activists Kuhu Roy and Hansa Roy have send their inputs and suggestions to the ministry. This is what they wrote in the letter:
"Sir,
To begin with, we want to thank you for considering the amendment of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 that, hopefully, will add more teeth to the law. We intend to make the following suggestions, that have surfaced over the years through our personal experience of being in service to stray dogs of Baroda for close to two decades all through personal capacity, to the proposed amendment.
1. Insertion of new section 11A - Gruesome cruelty and 11B Killing of animal: Malpractices of stray dog removal, killing, botched up surgeries, that go on under the garb of animal birth control programme (the most scientifically sound and humane programme needs to be digitised for transparency with involvement of non-vested interests to cut out the red tape and benefit humans and animals both) be also brought under its ambit. Botchy animal sterilisation, making money out of savagery and butchery, leads to as gruesome deaths of stray dogs, sadly by very those who should protect them from harm in the first place.
2. Section 11C: One of the most brutal and blood curdling deaths that animals on the roads endure is due to accidents. It cannot be exempted. Those who undervalue these animals will continue to mercilessly run them down without the fear of being caught. Better still, there should be provision for making such offenders visit the disabled ward of an animal shelter to give them a feel of what their callousness results in.
3. Most ghastly episodes of cruelty involve the animals being hit, butchered, raped under the very clause of ‘killing of an animal in defence of self or property.’ 11C WILL BE MISUSED TO PERPETUATE MORE CRUELTY, WITH THE SANCTION OF THE LAW. If anyone hits an animal just because it looks at them or barks, or hits it for no reason altogether just like scores of haters do out of sadism (the Board must recall how our Rheo was battered to death for sleeping in shade taking refuge from the sweltering heat of Baroda) or a cat that crosses someone’s path, or an abandoned cow that aimlessly roams around after being abandoned; the animals will fall prey to unimaginable cruelty, while the most vicious offenders will go away scot free claiming the animal was a threat to them or their property! 11C IS ALL IN FAVOUR OF THOSE WHO THINK ANIMALS DO NOT DESERVE TO SHARE SPACE WITH US ON THIS EARTH, which is why 11C definitely needs a reconsideration. THE ENTIRE AMENDMENT WILL GO DOWN THE DRAIN OR LOOK LIKE A BIG FARCE IF 11C COMES INTO EXISTENCE.
In addition to the above, we also propose a new clause keeping in mind that human and animal welfare go hand in hand:
Tracking of animal abusers: Tracking those who are cruel to animals can help us prevent further crimes on not only animals, but also help protect our children and us women. Criminals always begin with animals. They are the stepping stone. Because we live in a society where it is absolutely alright to stick and stone animals and be vicious to them, going unpunished and unchecked only adds to embolden their criminal instincts. They graduate from animals, to children and women. By the time they are caught, it is often too late as the damage done to the society is unrepairable. THE NATIONAL CRIME REGISTER SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE ANIMAL ABUSERS. Collection of retrospective data from the criminals lodged at various facilities will help throw light and association on the said clause. We vouch for it they all began with animals.
We hope the amended laws are stringent and publicised enough so that a perpetrator will think twice before indulging in cruelty to animals, that has far fetched repercussions on our society as a whole.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Kuhu Roy and Mrs. Hansa Roy"
Animal rights activist Meet Asher of Peta India and his friend Shazia too have send their suggestions to the Ministry. To read their suggestions kindly go on the link below:
https://twitter.com/asharmeet02/status/1384090663877189632?s=20
One thing is very clear after reading the above two letters written by people who know the ground reality of animal.cruelty and who have dedicated their lives in getting justice for the voiceless of India. The amendment proposed by the Govt needs revision. For instance the penalty amount needs to be increased manifold from meagre Rs. 750 as proposed.Section 11(C) needs to be removed as this will no way help the animals. On the contrary it will help only the perpetrators. This section will give free hand to the criminals to kill animals and get away with the crime.
It's time we all wrote letters to the ministry before 25 April 2021 and tell them what we feel about the amendment proposed. We can't just depend on Kuhu, Hansa, Meet and Shazia to write on behalf of all of us. We all need to write letters to the Ministry.
The Govt has come up with a wonderful initiative and we can all contribute by giving our honest inputs and suggestions. This is the least we can do for our voiceless friends who deserve a life of dignity and kindness.
Just to leave you all with a video which shows a true Indian.
https://publicapp.co.in/video/sp_hm5xbr384dl8v?share=true
When the reporter asked the man why he was not wearing a mask he said" he is my child as I have nurtured him since his birth. I may die but I won't let him die"
Well this man is not very educated nor rich but he is better than many educated Indians who think dogs of India are rabid and dirty and are a nuisance to our society.