Dear Prime Minister Modi,
Many cases of animal cruelty have come to light in the past few weeks which have enraged me and made me question the existing animal welfare laws in India.
Some recent incidents include the murder of a pregnant elephant in the state of Kerala and the murder of a pregnant cow in Himachal Pradesh, who were fed explosives disguised as food.
They join a long list of others, including a jallikattu bull killed in Tamil Nadu, and countless big cats who are trapped and then brutally beaten once they are found near villages.
Stray dogs and cats are not spared from everyday abuse either.
All stray animals need and deserve a home with loving people who can treasure them.
Gut-wrenching and distressing videos are regularly posted on TikTok showing both adults as well as children who find inexplicable pleasure in harming and killing defenseless animals.
I would also like to mention a few stories I have come across, some of which I have posted on my Facebook page.
In Odisha, a pregnant dog named April was brutally killed.
In Maharashtra, a couple of juveniles filmed themselves tying the legs and mouth of a helpless dog, threw him in a dirty pond and then threw rocks at him.
Shortly after, the dog died.
In another instance, a stray dog lost his life simply because he dared to seek shelter in an apartment building on a rainy day.
The building’s security guard was ordered to beat the dog who later died.
In Kerala, a dog was found wandering the streets with his mouth taped shut preventing him from eating or drinking. Thankfully, he was rescued.
In West Bengal, a group of men filmed themselves torturing a baby dolphin to death while the dolphin flailed around, trying to escape.
The list goes on and on until one becomes overwhelmed and feels compelled to speak out!
Every day NGO shelters report stories that make your stomach turn and make you realize that some humans are losing their humanity.
What is even more disheartening is that, in most cases, you can see people watch and do nothing as a poor, innocent animal gets beaten to death.
There is no accountability here.
It is my understanding that the cow is the holiest animal in India, one of the most worshipped animals in the country, and yet the person who fed the pregnant cow explosives in Himachal Pradesh did not have any reservations.
I realize that your country, like many others, is facing hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this cannot be an excuse to put animal welfare on hold.
Furthermore, it cannot be a pretext to abandon them.
Animal abusers act every day, regardless of whether the country is facing a crisis.
Animals must be protected under all circumstances because, unlike people, they cannot ask for help or report the abuse suffered.
Mr. Prime Minister, I urge you to take immediate action and make The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960 stricter.
I urge you to take a significant stand in favor of those who cannot ask for help and against those who harm them.
Animal abusers must be prosecuted to the same standard as those who have harmed or killed a human being because no life is more important or less important than another.
A strong deterrent for this behavior needs to exist.
People need to know that if they harm, abuse, or kill an animal they will go to prison for a very long time.
I would like my final thought to reflect the wise words of one of the world’s greatest activists and biggest animal lovers:
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
― Mahātmā Gandhi
Voice For Us admin
