Ahimsa maybe central to our world view yet millions of animals are battered, blinded, force-fed steroids, dissected, mutiliated and eventually killed every year, often for no reason all. Many more are condemned to a life-time of backbreaking slavery and then in their old age ,sent off to slaughter houses or thrown out on streets.

Millions are killed in legal and illegal abbatoirs or hunted down as easy game. Superstition and religious rituals take an equally large number of lives. As do myopic development projects.

Till recently, few noticed the crimes

Few noticed because animals cannot protest

They cannot protest when they are maimed,tortured, killed,used for experiments and entertainment.

The laws framed to protect animals are openly flouted.

The scenario will change if each one of us will stop being a silent witness to the cruelty being perpetrated on animals.

Speak-Up ,Take Action.

Fight for those who cannot fight for themselves and help implement the Animal Protection Laws

 

 

Animal Birth Control Programme underway at PFA.

 

What Every Police Officer And Animal Activist should know-

PUNISHABLE OFFENCES

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960( Act 59 of 1960)


Under section 11:

Offences
Beating, kicking, overriding, torturing or causing any animal pain or suffering by the owner or any other person (tongawallas and cart-owners). Using any animal for work when it is wounded or unfit.

Overloading:

Two wheeled vehicle
Kgs.
Small Buffalo
500
Medium buffalo
700
Large buffalo
900
Horse
375
Camel
1000

 

Pack animals
Kgs.
Small Buffalo
100
Medium Buffalo
150
Large buffalo
175
Pony
85
Mule
75
Donkey
35
Camel
185

Permissible loading in a truck is only 4 buffaloes or 40 sheep/goats. Animals in tempos are not allowed.Only 4 passengers excluding the driver are allowed on a tonga or a total of 325 kgs.

Carrying or transporting animals in such a manner that it causes suffering. Carrying of chickens upside down on cycles, carrying of goats, pigs, cattle with their legs tied in small vehicles.

Caging or confining an animal in a cage which does not allow the animal sufficient space for movement. Overcrowding of animals in yards and during transportation in slaughter. This applies to the cages of circus animals and mini zoos as well.

Failing to provide pet animals with sufficient food, drink or shelter. Abandoning an animal when old or diseased, keeping it on a short leash and insufficient exercise. Pet owners are covered under this act.

Mutilating an animal : cutting ears or tails, cutting the beaks of birds or clipping their wings and breaking legs for transportation.

Giving any anima an injurious drug . All dairy owners who give oxytocin injections to their milch cattle can be raided and their dairies shut down.Also look at section 12.

Organising or offering an area for animal fights or baiting of animals.( cock or ram fighting, snake and mongoose fights).

Penalty

All these offences are punishable with a fine which may extend up to 100 rupee or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with both.

Under Section 12

Offence

Any person using injections of any kind, conducting any operation called phooka or Doom Dev to improve lactation of cows or any other milch cattle ( e.g., oxytocin injections.)

Penalty

The offender may be punished with a fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or with imprisonment which may extend to two years or with both and the animal confiscated by the government.

Under Section 21

Offence

It is an offence to exhibit and train performing animals. ( All madaris, snake charmers, bear and monkey performers are covered under this section. Animal “joyrides” are covered under this act.)

Penalty

The offender may be punished with a fine of five hundred rupees or with imprisonment which may extend to three months or with both.

WILD LIFE PROTECTION ACT, 1972.

Under sections 9,39,40(2)

Hunting, keeping or breeding of any wild animals and birds.

Acquiring, receiving, keeping in control, custody or possession, selling wild animals like monkeys, snakes, bears etc, or any wild birds.This includes parakeets and mynahs.

Selling skins or meat of wild animals. This includes monitor lizard oil or oil made of any other creature. Stuffed squirrels, snake skins, peacock feathers.

 

Penalty

The offender shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term of not less than one year which may extend to six years and also with a fine which shall not be less than five thousand rupees.

Under sections 38(1)

Teasing. injuring or causing disturbance in the zoo.

Penalty

The offender shall be punishable with imprisonment for six months or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees or with both.

Indian Penal Code 1860

Under sections 498,499

Mischief of killing or maiming of an animal of any value above ten rupees. This includes bull, oxen, horses, mules, camels etc.

Penalty

The offender shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to five years or with a fine or with both.

DELHI POLICE ACT/ 1968
Under this Act the police has been given special powers to take actior when an animal offence has been committea when a pollce officenhas reason to believe an offence under Sections 11 and 12 of the preventlon of Cruelty to Animals Act has occurred he may seize the animal and takeit to a veiennary officer The police officer can keep the animal in a dispensary before it is produced before a magistrate so long as the time ……………days. A police officer may unsaddle or unload an animal he suspects is unfit or too sick to carry out the work it is doing.

A police officer may arrest, without a warrant from a Magistrate, any person committing in his presence any offence punishable under the prevention of cruelty to Animals Act.