Following written complaints by animal activists and animal lovers about unhealthy and cruel conditions of caged pets kept at the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market (Crawford Market),police inspector Sandip Sonawane of MRA Marg police station in a written reply sent to animal rights activists, has informed that a formal inspection of the market complex was carried out on Jan 19, to check the situation of puppies, kittens and other such pets that are kept on display in cages.
The inspection team has slapped section 11 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, against five shops in this regard.
While activists have welcomed the police action at Crawford Market, they said that there should be regular patrolling and inspections within these premises, so that illegalities and animal cruelty is averted.
“Since last year, several animal lovers have secretly visited the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market complex in south Mumbai, and recorded how tiny pups and kittens are kept in cages the whole day.
They are there on display, to be sold as pets. However, many suffer from dehydration and other ailments due to the unhygienic conditions there. Many animals on sale also die, but the authorities have not reported about it. Hence, the activists had urged the Mumbai police to do something to end their suffering,” said activist R Banerji.
Advocate Siddh Vidya told Mumbai Mirror: “A notice was sent to the Mumbai police on behalf of Akhil Bharat Krishi Go Seva Sangh, which is a duly registered Charitable Trust working for various noble causes. The notice draws urgent attention of the authorities to take action against the illegal and cruel sale of puppies, kittens and other breed pets in certain shops inside Crawford Market.”
Vidya further added that some of the pets on sale here looked either depressed or sedated.
“In the 2017 order of Bombay high court, in the PIL number 76 / 2016, it is clearly mentioned by the high court bench that the police and the municipal authorities must strictly enforce that illegal sale of pets does not take place inside Crawford Market. Hence, we are again approaching the local authorities to ensure that animal cruelty is stopped.”
Vidya added that another animal welfare NGO, Dhyan Foundation, has also agreed to give shelter to the rescued pets as and when the authorities act on these mentioned illegalities.
Activist Meet Ashar of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA India) commented: “As per the pet sale rules, all the pet shops must be registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). We at PETA India have consistently urged citizens not to buy such `trophy pets' from pet shops since there is cruelty involved in such trades.”
Ashar further added that it is a sorry state how puppies and kittens (mostly of certain breeds) are taken away from their mothers and put on sale inside cages at pet shops. They are priced at a steep rate, since there are eager buyers for such breed pets.
“People do not know or are insensitive to the cruel ways in which female breed dogs are continuously made pregnant, in order to sell their babies in the market. Once the female is unable to become pregnant and deliver babies, they are of no use to the breeders; and so they often die in a neglected state,” said Ashar.
Various animal rights groups have therefore urged citizens to instead adopt the desi Indian dogs and cats who make good, healthy pets.
“There are thousands of Indie dogs and cats on the streets. They too need forever homes. Often, adoption camps are held for Indies.
I have also written to state and central authorities that Indie dogs can also be very useful in police department training and even in the army, since our Indie dogs are quite intelligent,” said activist Seema Sharma of Heavens Abode Foundation.
