Humans are morally responsible for treating animals with love, care and affection, a Delhi court has observed while pulling up an animal welfare centre linked to Union Minister Maneka Gandhi for not properly treating injured oxen lodged there.
Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra observed that animal welfare institutions are expected to not only ensure good health of animals but also provide congenial and affable environment for them.
“With population explosion, the habitat of animals has shrunk. Because of loss of vegetation and habitat, dependence of animals on humans have increased. Humans are not only statutorily but also morally responsible to treat the animals with love, care and affection.
“The animal care institutions are specialised agencies dealing with the welfare of animals. From these institutions not only the good health of animals is expected but congenial and affable environment is expected,” the magistrate said.
The court, while referring to the report submitted by the animal care centre regarding the status of injured oxen which were seized by the Delhi Police, said, “unfortunately the report shows the opposite picture.”
“In the present case despite being lodged in Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Center for more than six months, the remaining animals are still suffering from injuries and weakness,” it said, while directing the centre to shift the oxen to another ‘goshala’ (cow care centre) for better care.
The court had earlier expressed displeasure over the facilities and ordered for shifting the animals to some other institution through an order of April 12.
According to the police, it seized 12 oxen which were being carried in a truck in an inhuman condition last year and a case was lodged under Delhi Agricultural Cattle Prevention Act, section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle etc) of IPC and under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
( Source – PTI )
