De jure, the fine is a ludicrous Rs 50. De facto, in an overwhelming number of cases, it is nothing, with most trails never leading back to the owners who deserted their pets – usually dogs and cats, especially of a foreign breed.
Most abandoned pets aren’t as fortunate as the St Bernard that was left stranded near an Ahmedabad crematorium some five months ago and had to be treated back to health before she found a new home. St Bernards are a breed accustomed to colder climates. This means homes for them and their like must have air-conditioning in most parts of India. Luckily, this abandoned and recovered dog will be going off to a country with a colder climate. Most abandoned pets are not so lucky.
Dumping dogs, especially foreign breeds, has become an ugly trend in India.
In a 2020 episode of Mann ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged people to adopt ‘indie’ dogs more suited and comfortable to local climatic and weather conditions.
Abandoning pets is a cruel way by which humans suddenly decide to forego responsibility, treating fellow creatures as disposable commodities. This is especially hard for domesticated animals outside their natural terrain. For this to stop, authorities – central and local – must crack down on illegal dog breeding ‘farms’ that do unscrupulous big business, feeding into the ‘buy and throw’ trend of pets, especially dogs. This, despite a 2016 ban on the import of dogs for breeding and other commercial activities. And the law itself must stop being cosmetic and implement punishment for abandoning animals for an amount less laughable than the current ‘disincentive’.
