In a small town of Uttar Pradesh, Basanti (a name that has been changed to retain privacy), the youngest of Santoshi Devi’s three children went missing from their household late on Thursday, 4th July; she was found in a deplorable condition, the very next day, inside Kumar, a neighbour’s residence. Mother Santoshi alleges that three men identified as Dinesh Kumar, Satish and Ashoke — all in inebriated condition had lured and then raped the four-year-old. At the young, earlier mentioned age of only four, Basanti was the Devi family’s guardian: the Pomeranian, is said to have protected Santoshi and her children on various occasions; yes, she may not be human but she has always been treated like any other family member. In an interview with the Times of India, Santoshi said she was not worried when her pet disappeared after ten in the evening; however, when Basanti did not turn up till six next morning, it began to trouble the lady. Apparently as claimed, the accused lured the four-legged animal with an egg before committing the vile act.

All over India, similar cases have been reported in the recent past; In November 2018 four men hailing from Mumbai’s Malad area, brutalized a male dog — allegedly mutilating his private parts. The canine was rushed to a veterinary hospital, where after several days of treatment, he finally succumbed to death. Recently too, a man in an intoxicated state violated a stray four-legged on the busy roads of Chennai before the locals got hold of him and had him handed over to the police.

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Does the knowledge of the victim and its species make the act any less egregious? Certainly not; especially in a diverse country like India, which has crossed several International barriers, achieved multiple acclaims and is also known to be a boiling pot of culture, heritage and talent. Moreover, these incidents throw light on various issues, the country for so long has been neglecting: a number of questions pertaining to Humanity are raised and people are left wondering where they are headed to as a functioning society.

Sachin Stalin, a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India activist in 2018 filed a First Information Report (FIR) against a Jaipur man who allegedly raped a female stray dog. PETA India worked very closely with the city Police Force in order to arrest the accused: an apparent repeat offender who is said to have violated goats and sheep in the past. Following the arrest a statement, warning people of the volatile and harmful nature of the man was publicly released. According to popular research in Psychology and Criminology, it has been revealed that acts of cruelty to animals indicate a deep mental disturbance; people who commit such crimes, usually do not stop there — their actions reflect on their behaviour with human beings as well. To add further substance to this research, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has found in its records, a history of cruelty towards animals among traits of serial rapists or murderers. In another study carried out by the same country, over a period of twenty-one years, it has been discovered that “seventy percent of people who abused animals went on to commit other crimes and about two-thirds of them also assaulted a human as well.”

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In India lately, the crimes against innocent animals have increased on a large scale; it has been reported that with the rise in population of dogs, abuse to has soared. While some blame the assumed malicious nature of the creature, others believe that the government should keep a check on sanitation levels and hygiene habits at animal shelters — they feel, population control methods are the only way to curb this problem. Shakuntala Majumdar, President of the Thane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TSPCA) identifies a certain root to this problem in various households too; she says: “many pets run away when the doors are left open by mistake. In the absence of any protocol to reunite them with their families, many of them never meet their parents again.” Mukherjee talks about the alarming growth of paid shelters used by owners to get rid of pets — “we have seen cases of owners dumping their pets at such centres by paying them a fee. They ask no questions about how the animal will be kept, or whether a record is maintained. Many centres use these animals for breeding, almost like a factory, to make as much money as they can”, she adds. In an exclusive interview with the Hindustan Times, Meet Ashar, an animal welfare officer and emergency response coordinator with PETA India revealed — “animals are being bought because they are cute, as status symbols or as toys. This often ends in abandonment, neglect or abuse. Companion animals are left chained or caged for hours, without food or water.” In Mumbai, the rise of crimes can be attributed to poor veterinary facilities and the lack of adequate awareness regarding Animal Protection Laws. Activists believe that the existing clinics are either ill-equipped or just plain profit-making houses.

The last five years have witnessed over nineteen-thousand cases of animal abuse being reported in Mumbai alone; it has been predicted to rise all over the country in another few years. What then is the Government doing to prevent this? Objectively and unfortunately, nothing. While there are laws that make Animal Cruelty a punishable offence, the penalty is a meagre sum of hardly fifty to hundred rupees; the sadists are seldom arrested and are seen roaming around scot-free in different states. Even as cases of human assault manage to reach police stations, the undying pleas of innocent, heavily dependent and dependable animals go unheard. Cases of assault on these contributors of the eco-system are generally brushed off and often treated as trivial. Although Maneka Gandhi (Union Minister of Women and Child Development) in 2015 approached the Supreme Court regarding this issue, calling animal cruelty a Federal Crime, several organizations want a more comprehensive solution; they stress on the need for much stronger laws and stricter fines which are at par with the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Dr Khanna of the Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) underlines the funding issues that are prevalent — “currently, the [Maharashtra] state Animal Husbandry Department gives just ten percent of their funds for veterinary facilities, the remaining is used for agricultural purposes”, he says; the plight of animals is indeed unbearable!

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If recent reports are to be believed, Little Basanti’s rapists have been booked under IPC Section 11 (Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act) and Section 377 (Unnatural Offences Act); a probe is underway, medical reports are still awaited and the Police guarantee to catch the offenders in no-time. Meanwhile, the Pomeranian continues to be in a critical state; she is unable to protect — due to a sad turn of events, she now needs protection herself.