Family starves pet to death; FIR filed

Hyderabad: Humane Society International/India has filed a first information report (FIR) against a family in Sanath Nagar for killing their dog after leaving the animal in an apartment balcony unattended for nine days. The dog died due to possible starvation in the absence of the family who were reportedly on a holiday.

The case came into light on social media when the residents of the building complained about the dog being in an unconscious state. HSI/India consultant, Teja Panneru then visited the scene with the police. The neighbours added that the family was given notice on the ill-treatment of the dog and was asked to ensure that the dog was taken care of and well fed and watered.

The police registered an FIR on November 21, five days after the case was brought to the public notice and went viral. Teja Panneru, the complainant, said; “This case is a grim reminder of the lack of pet ownership in the country today. The GHMC should ensure that when licences are being handed out for pets, licensing system involved responsible pet ownership. This is the issue when animals are sold and bought like commodities. The duty of sellers should extend to the duty of care of the protector, so these sentient animals are given the dignity and life they deserve. We hope that the police will take this case forward and ensure that the perpetrators are punished.”

In the recent past, HSI/India has come across many animal abuse/cruelty issues through videos, posts and articles on Facebook, Twitter and print media. HSI/India offers rewards in animal cruelty cases across the country with an aim to strengthen implementation of laws against animal cruelty. Humane Society International (hsi.org) and its partner organisations together constitute one of the world’s largest animal protection organisations. For more than 25 years, HSI has been working for the protection of all animals through the use of science, advocacy, education and hands on programs.