Animals are better than humans. That’s how the saying goes, they treat you with love, no hidden intentions or ideas behind it. Then why is the treatment towards them so inhumane? Many are harmed mercilessly and undeservingly, abandoned, disowned and left to fend for themselves causing many deaths due to starvation and lack of shelter.
Goa has about three major animals found neglected and deserted “ cattle, dogs and cats. These animals often fall prey to road accidents. According to Gaurav Yadav, a member of the Goa Animal Welfare Board, there are at least five animals being injured due to road accidents on a daily basis.
Cows are mostly found to be victims of accidents as they are mostly found sitting in the middle of the roads, especially at nights.
“The reason cows do this is because tarred roads are known to retain heat which helps keep the animals warm on cold nights,” says Swati Shilkar of Dhyan Foundation, adding that more often than not, the lack of proper lighting and poor visibility prevents commuters from spotting the animal leading to road accidents.
The increasing stray dog population prowling almost every road in the city and even in the villages is another cause for worry. Cornering pedestrians out for early morning walks, ambushing children on their way to school, chasing bikes and cars late at night, and even attacking pet dogs, these packs of strays are feral and vicious. Indeed, no country has as many stray dogs as India, and no country suffers as much from them.
Call for help “ contact the local vet or any animal welfare NGO in the area
Despite many steps being taken, Goa still lacks proper infrastructure for the welfare of animals. Goa till date does not have a 24/7 working animal veterinary hospital for animals to be treated in. An all-day ambulance to carry these animals is also the need of the hour.
According to Yadav, almost 80 percent of panchayats and municipalities do not have any affiliation to any animal welfare NGO. “This could be because there are still not enough NGOs, especially near their jurisdiction. However, such an affiliation can help with the shelter and sterilization of dogs,” he insists.
“There should also be a dog sanctuary because there are a lot of abandoned puppies and dogs. Most NGOs have very small shelters and many animals do not get adopted. A dog sanctuary can be a good idea in this case,” Gaurav adds.
