Awareness - first step towards prevention of cruelty on animals

ANIMAL WELFARE FORTNIGHT 14-30 JAN

Dr. THINLAY N BHUTIA

On the occasion of Animal Welfare fortnight which is from 14 to 30 January, the Sikkim Anti-Rabies and Animal Health (SARAH) Division of the Department of AH,LF&VS has felt it necessary to make people aware of various existing animal welfare laws/ acts for the benefits of both the humans and animals alike. There is an Animal welfare law called the Prevention of Cruelty Act (PCA act 1960) formed way back in 1960 and same has been enacted in Sikkim in early 80’s and it is being vigorously implemented.
As we know that animals have been associated with and benefited humankind for thousands of years.  We often ignore and forget that these speechless creatures have served human kind without expecting anything in return and we do not really appreciate their contribution and importance. We always think that we are superior and do not bother to think of their wellbeing and welfare. We often mistreat these creatures, sometimes for fun and enjoyment, some times from ignorance and misguidance. The SARAH Division deals with acts of cruelty every day where various types of ill-treatment are reported. In majority of the cases we often notice that people find it easy to blame the animals for various problems emanating from animals rather than addressing the root problem. Majority of the problems associated with dogs such as dog bite, rabies etc are due to Social factor (Human behaviour) – lack of knowledge, irresponsible pet ownership. Due to these factors, animals land up in trouble.  It is human nature where dominance and atrocity is often meted out to the defenceless and speechless creature and these poor animals cannot defend themselves and challenge the superior creatures especially the human race.  Dogs that do not have access to proper training and exercise will certainly become aggressive and bite people. Dogs that are treated cruelly will become fearful and more likely to bite people. Animals that do not have proper medical care will become sick and subject to unnecessary pains and sufferings leading to waste of resources (economic, human resources etc). Once these animals become sick and unmanageable, they are abandoned to the streets and become stray dogs. SARAH often rescues these dogs and provides care and nursing. All of these is in contravention to the existing PCA act 1960 and is a punishable offence. According to the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), it is estimated that 88% of owned dogs are allowed to roam freely, at least part of the time making a considerable increase in stray dog population and majority of the stray dogs and cats in Sikkim were previously pets.
If an animal is appropriately cared for or the pet owners acts responsibly or people do things cautiously and vigilantly, then problems emanating from the animals can be easily prevented. For example, human and wildlife conflict can be avoided by not disrupting their habitat and food source. So, one must focus on HUMAN BEHAVIOUR CHANGE: ‘Moving from a treatment-focussed to a prevention-focussed approach’. As a rich heritage of cultural and religious tradition of Sikkim we believe that the majority of the people do not intend to harm these creatures but due to lack of knowledge and information, the animals are often subjected to cruelty. Some detailed studies have been done and the following points were observed in respect to human attitude towards animal welfare and their health and the role of Government:
• By providing the solution you take the focus away from prevention.
• If you provide a service to deal with problems caused by the way that owners care for and manage their animal, you are not encouraging them to change the way they care for their animal.
• Govt programs that take responsibility away from the owner are not sustainable
• If there are always people to turn to when you cause a problem, there is less motivation to fix the problem by addressing the cause yourself.
• Government and NGO programs should not create dependency – if the program stops, what will happen? Will it have made a lasting difference?
• If you provide the solution you will always be needed to carry on doing just that. And if a welfare organisation stops working in the area, you might not have made a lasting difference to the animals’ lives.
• Welfare programs should not just focus on veterinary needs but rather on all the needs of an animal.
• When you provide veterinary care, the health of the animal is the main concern; all the things that animals need are not always considered.
Most of the cases of cruelty on animals reported in Sikkim are - abandonment of animals (especially dogs and cats), non-provision of proper veterinary care, non-provision of proper food and shelter, inhumane slaughter methods (especially chicken). But compared to the 90’s, there has been a remarkable improvement in animal welfare and will hopefully continue to improve. Due to the concerted efforts of SARAH, the brutal killings of dogs in order find a solution to address the Rabies and stray dog population problem has become history. Due to effective implementation of wildlife act by the Forest Department wild animals are no longer brutally hunted. It is expected that in coming days, we will certainly realize and discourage such unhealthy attitude towards these creatures and try to co-exist together with all the sentient beings as the Mother Nature is impartial to all the beings.
“Sikkim is a little piece of heaven”.  In heaven, cruelty, atrocity and violence are out of the question.  People here live in peace, harmony and tranquillity. Let us live in harmony with all of nature for forever. There is a place for everyone. But there is no place for cruelty and violence. The SARAH Programme is working to preserve our little piece of heaven. It is an earnest request to all the people to help preserve our little piece of heaven.
Following are excerpts from “The Prevention of Cruelty Animals Act,1960”
Q 1) What amounts to cruelty on animals?
A)   Section 11 (1) (a) to ( o) of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 lays down the actions that amounts to treating animals cruelly.
Sect 11(1)(a) Beating, Kicking, Over-riding, Over-driving, Over-loading, Torturing,  Causing unnecessary pain or suffering to any animals.
(b) Employing any animal which, by reason of its age or any disease, unfit to be so employed, and still making it work or labour or for any purpose.
(c) Wilfully and unreasonably administering any injurious drug or injurious substance.
 (d) Conveying or carrying, either in or upon any vehicle in such a manner as to subject it to unnecessary pain or suffering.
 (e) Keeping for confining any animal in any cage or any receptacle which does not measure sufficiently in height, length and breadth to permit the animal a reasonable opportunity for movement.
 (f) Keeping for an unreasonable time any animal chained or tethered upon an unreasonably heavy chain or chord.
 (g) Being the owner, neglects to exercise or cause to be exercised reasonably any dog habitually chained up or kept in close confinement.
 (h) Being the owner of any animal fails to provide such animal with sufficient food, drink or shelter.
 (i) Without reasonable cause, abandons any animal in circumstances which render it likely that it will suffer pain by reason of starvation or thirst.
 (j) Wilfully permitting any animals, of which he is the owner to go at large in any street while the animal is affected with contagious or infectious disease, or without reasonable excuse permits any diseased or disabled animal, of which he is the owner, to die in any street.
 (k) Offers for sale or without reasonable cause, has in his possession any animal which is suffering pain by reason of mutilation, starvation, thirst, overcrowding or other ill-treatment
 (l)Mutilates any animal or kills any animal (including stray dogs) by using the method of strychnine injections in the heart or in any other unnecessarily cruel manner.
(m)Solely with a view to providing entertainment
1. confines or causes to be confined any animals ( including tying of an animal as bait in a tiger or other sanctuary) so as to make it an oject of prey for any other animal.
2. incites any animal to fight or bait any other animal.
 (n)Organises, keeps, uses or acts in the management of, any place for animal fighting or for the purpose of baiting any animal or permits or offers any place to be so used or receives money for the admission of any other person to any place kept or used for any such purposes.
 (o)Promotes or takes part in any shooting match or competition wherein animals are released from captivity for the purpose of such shooting.
[The contributor is the Programme Coordinator, SARAH Division, Dept.of AH,LF&VS]