Animal Cruelty

The major change brought about by science and technology, right from crop cultivating to telecommunication, has changed every aspect of daily life and has time and again proved what great heights the human race is capable of reaching.

But there is something really wrong with the people of this generation. While human capabilities are soaring high, breaking records and limitations, humanity has hit an altogether new low.

Of late, stories about animal abuse are taking internet by storm. The news about the five boys from Hyderabad mercilessly burning three puppies alive caused a huge stir when it was brought to light recently.

Before that, it was the incident of the MBBS student from Chennai throwing a dog from the terrace of a three-storied building that had made headlines. Not long ago, the devastating news of a Bengaluru woman killing the eight puppies of Ammu, a local stray dog, ‘to teach her a lesson on not littering in front of her house’ caused uproar all over.

Disturbing news like this makes us question the sanity of such people. What drives people into doing such outrageous things? And most importantly, why are animals being targeted? The exact answers to these questions can only be found out if we delve deep into the minds of these offenders.

However, it has been observed that the most common reasons for people committing such offences are to show control, to inflict pain and as a means of violence. In order to express these, the offenders take advantage of animals because they are helpless.

Had something similar been done to a human, there would have been severe consequences and the person would have been brought to court and put behind bars. But the poor animals do not have a voice to express themselves. They cannot retaliate or protest in any way.

This makes them easy targets for people who wish to cause harm. This is exactly why there is a need for people to recognise the rights of these animals because such acts of cruelty against animals should not be tolerated.

What can be done?
First and foremost, strict laws against animal abuse should be enforced. Pavandeep Singh Kalsi, an advocate, talks about the legal action that would be taken in case of animal cruelty. "The current law specifies that a fine of Rs 50 for the first offence and for subsequent offences committed within three years of the first with a fine of up to Rs 100 (or punishable with imprisonment for three months or both) will be collected in case of causing any kind of harm to the animals," he explains.

Although this is a positive step towards protecting animals from abuse, there is a need for stricter laws. The fine is minimal when compared to the value of life that is lost. Also, the ones who have been imprisoned are being bailed out, making imprisonment a lost cause.

Secondly, people should work towards creating awareness of the fact that the lives of strays are as precious as ours. Nowadays, many organisations are coming up in support of animals and their rights. One such organisation is Motopaws, a voluntary NPO dedicated towards the welfare of street dogs.

Started in Pune by a team of people on a quest to find a solution to the number of strays being killed on the roads, Motopaws now collars strays in around 20 cities in the country with retro-reflective collars made out of donated denim that alerts the drivers by reflecting light. Kranthi Das, an animal activist and a volunteer at Motopaws, feels that awareness must be created at an early age.

"We go to different schools to make sure that kids are taught how to care for animals from an early age so that such inhuman acts can be prevented. We also go to slums for public performances and skits highlighting the importance of animal rights," he shares.

Rashmi Priyanka Saradhi, a volunteer at Little Paws, an organisation for pedigree dogs says, “You need not keep them at your place or inside your homes. Just make sure you share with them a little of what you eat and avoid hurting them.”

Then there is also the problem of cynophobiacs that must be dealt with. Some of us fear animals, especially dogs. This condition, called Cynophobia, causes fear in its sufferers to such an extent that they would do anything to stay away from dogs, including abuse. In most of the cases where dogs are ill-treated or pelted with stones and sticks, cynophobiacs are usually responsible.

These people attack animals in the fear of protecting self. Forcing such people to interact with animals will only make matters worse for them as this fear could slowly develop into hatred and when suppressed for long, can cause serious psychological issues, which will only be let out in the form of more animal abuse.

Such people should be made aware of the fact that most of the strays are harmless and will not retaliate unless provoked. Some people might not be willing to take care of them or nurture them, but as long as they do not resort to antics like throwing stones, kicking animals, pushing them onto the roads and leaving them under vehicles to overcome the fear, they are helping out in their own way.

They may be afraid and stay away, but as long as they spread the word and make sure helps arrives, there is still hope for animals. Lastly, as they say, change can truly be seen only when it is from within. As Paul Farmer once said, “The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.”