E-campaign against animal cruelty
3,000 citizens have already signed the petition, an initiative started by PFCI
By : vivek narayanan
Update: 2015-04-30 05:35 GMT
Chennai: An online signature campaign is gaining momentum in the city for the last three weeks to implement the already existing animal laws that prevent atrocities against animals. More than 3,000 citizens have already signed the petition, an initiative started by PFCI (People for Cattle in India), an NGO formed by animal lovers to promote animal welfare. The online campaign, that is addressed to the Central, State government, the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court, also marks the end of the ‘prevent animal cruelty’ month.
“Cruelty on animals, especially stray dogs and cats are increasing and most people have become insensitive towards them,” said P.Shylaja, a railway employee residing in Guindy who signed the petition.The online petition appeals to the government to establish a special department of officials dedicated to ensure the effective implementation of the laws drafted for the welfare of animals in the country.
The petition also insists that cops on duty should have a comprehensive knowledge of all the laws pertaining to protection of animals and be well equipped to investigate and promptly act upon any potential threat to animals or their exploitation. The online petition that articulates the issue of enforcement of animal laws in India, if accepted and implemented, would be a revolutionary change not only to strengthen the Rights of Animals, but also to empower the animal welfare activists to protect the animals with legal support, feel animal activists.
“This campaign should open the eyes of the government and they should re-open the law books to see the existing law that prevails to protect the animals so as to protect them from daily atrocities.” said signatory Jayashree Ramesh, a homemaker and an animal activist residing in T.Nagar. With the number of people who are coming forward in the last three weeks we are looking at least 20,000 people to sign the petition in the next one month, that will be send to the Central and state government, said Arun Prasanna, founder of PFCI.
They love chicken on plate, not when it runs around: Williams
While we have Lord Ganesha and Bhairava and Jesus born in the midst of cows and other exotic birds, it is quite ironic to see people consuming meat. As an animal activist, working in the field for long years, I feel people’s concern for animals and birds is lost. Most of them have love for chicken only when they see them on their plates in the form of chilly chicken and butter chicken and not while they are roaming around in your vicinity.
And the exploitation has happened at various levels. The white revolution, for example, was introduced by veterinary scientists to increase the yield of milk and increase population of cows for the production of milk. But gradually, the holy cow was exploited for its sacred resources – milk, meat and leather. The industry has invented cruel methods to fulfill the desire of consumers and the person who drinks milk cannot blame the person who consumes meat.
In most of the poultry farms and animal husbandry units, chickens and cows are treated in the most unscientific and insensitive manner. Most of these animals can’t even move 360 degrees in their own life span.I feel it is time the enforcement of the laws concerning animal welfare was strictly in place. The cruelty to animals Act, 1951, is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, protect all domestic species including birds and animals.
We have the best laws drafted in our Constitution. The problem lies in their implementation. We need to create an awareness in everyone. We must leave animals to survive in their own natural habitat and create a balanced ecological system.
(Dawn Williams is GM of Blue Cross )