In yet another case of atrocity and neglect towards pet animals, a Pomeranian pet dog passed away in Hyderabad’s Moti Nagar area on November 17, allegedly due to starvation after the canine’s owners had left the dog in the balcony, unattended for nine days.

FIR lodged against the family

After this horrific incident, activists of the Humane Society International, India (HSI) have lodged a complaint against the family on November 20. Talking to The Logical Indian, Apoorva K, who works with the organisation said that the police have been very helpful in this regard and have been dealing with the case in a strict manner.

“The FIR has been filed by another activist, P Teja. The sections which were invoked are Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Section 429 of the Indian Penal Code,” said Apoorva.

The incident first came to light after activists of the organisation were made aware of a dog lying unconscious on the balcony after not being fed by the owners for many days. After the neighbours informed the family of the fact that their dog was not moving, the family had hung up the phone saying that the dog might be sleeping, reported The Times Of India.

Dog was mistreated by owners

Neighbours who also stay in the same apartment building also complained that a woman and her husband, who were the dog’s owners, always ill-treated their pet and kept it chained to the balcony. The residents of the apartment had reportedly also served a notice of ill-treatment to the couple, which most definitely fell to deaf ears.

However, by the time the neighbours had called for help, it was too late. Apoorva said that while the post-mortem report of the canine is awaited, it is being suspected that the dog died of starvation. The eight-year-old Pomeranian spent his last days tied to a balcony railing by a chain and unfed for nine days.

Apoorva said that when the family was contacted, they said that they had to rush from their house for a medical emergency, but had left the dog without making any prior arrangements. She said, “They are now making excuses to get away from the situation.”

The photograph of the incident which was highly circulated on the social media shows the dog’s lifeless body chained to the balcony. She added that the neighbours, owing to foul smell had buried the body, which was dug up by the activists for post-mortem.

Hyderabad has seen a steep increase in the number of cruelty cases against animals in general. News reports of street dogs either being killed or poisoned on a mass level has become fairly common. Earlier in October, some activists had alleged that 100 street dogs in a Telangana locality had been poisoned by some unknown persons. 

The Logical Indian Take 

However, this particular instance is a grim reminder of the fact that pet owners in the country are not as responsible as they should be. Pet owners need to understand that their pets are living creatures who depend on them for their sustenance. At the same time, authorities should run background checks while installing a system of record-keeping for pet owners which shows their responsibility and accountability when it comes to caring for pets.

The Logical Indian urges the police and the authorities to take a look into the matter and punish those who are at fault.

Also Read: Mumbai: Dog Who Was Allegedly Gang-Raped By Four Men, Dies