A disturbing act of cruelty to animals has triggered outrage in Belem, Navelim. A pet dog was reportedly seriously injured after being shot multiple times with an air gun by a neighbour. The incident, which was captured on CCTV, has since led to public protest and police action. It is learnt that police have registered an FIR under Section 325 of BNS, 2023 and Section 11 (1) of the Cruelty to Animals Act. Recently, two men were arrested for assaulting a stray dog with a wooden stick.
There have been rising instances of cruelty to animals, and the District Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSCPA) has urged communities to follow co-existence guidelines. All living things have the right to live on the earth, but sometimes we humans become cruel towards animals. We have to understand that animals can’t speak, but they too have life. Mahatma Gandhi rightly said, “The greatness of a nation is judged by the way its animals are treated.”
To combat animal cruelty, there need to be stricter laws and policies. All dogs bark on occasion, but a neighbour’s dog that barks all day can cause a real disturbance. The best thing to do first is to talk to the neighbour and settle the issue amicably without going to the extent of doing harm to pet animals. There may even be instances where pet animals become the target of violence while settling scores between neighbours.
