In a move to overhaul the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act-1960, the Centre has proposed to introduce 61 amendments to the six-decade-old law, including the provision of three-year jail for committing “gruesome cruelty” and five-year imprisonment for killing an animal.

The draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, (Amendment) Bill-2022 has been prepared by The ministry has made public the draft Bill and sought public comments till December 7, 2022.

Right now anyone injuring or killing an animal can get away by paying 10 or 50 Rs. for the first time offender and  If it is found that this is not his first such crime within the past three years, the maximum punishment would be a fine between Rs 25 and Rs 100, a jail term of three months, or both.

Just imagine torching or killing innocent animals and paying peanuts to get away with it. By revising the penalty, perpetrators will have to think twice before committing the crime, stopping animal cruelty and saving time for the Indian Police. The draft also proposes the insertion of a revised Section 3A, which provides ‘five freedoms’ to animals. “It shall be the duty of every person having charge of an animal to ensure that the animal in his care or under his charge has:

1) Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition;

2) Freedom from discomfort due to the environment;

3) Freedom from pain, injury and diseases;

4) Freedom to express normal behaviour for the species; and

5) Freedom from fear and distress.

In the case of community animals, the local government shall be responsible for their care.

The draft proposals introduce the community animal as “any animal born in a community for which no ownership has been claimed… excluding wild animals as defined under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (53 of 1972).”

We urge all animal lovers, activists, and those who believe that animals have a right to live. Support the Bill that will be presented to parliament during the winter session by signing this petition.