Animal rights activists are concerned with the rising number of animal abuse cases in the country. This comes a few days after seven puppies were found murdered at Kargil Apartments in Sector 18A in Dwarka on Monday morning.
The post-mortem report stated that the dogs were “punctured” with a “sharp object”.
Complainant Hema Meel (45), a resident of Kargil Apartments shared numerous photographs of the murdered puppies on the social media.
Ms. Meel described how the dogs were killed and then placed in a line for display. One of the dogs had its intestines outside its body, she said.
“All of the puppies had multiple stab wounds. The bodies of the puppies were punctured with a sharp object, most likely a knife. Whoever committed this act is a psychopath and was trying to send a message that they are stronger and that these dogs are not welcome,” Ms. Meel said.
Ms. Meel recalled how several residents of the complex also felt that these dogs should be removed.
Her neighbour said: “I like dogs. I have no problem with them. But why inside the complex? Why cannot they be placed outside permanently?”
Another neighbour complained about the “aggressiveness” of the dogs. She said may have been bitten by the street dogs in the complex. She said while she had sympathy for the puppies, she also felt that these often become aggressive when they grow up and then those give birth to more puppies.
In response to these concerns, Ambika Shukla, the director of the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre said: “There is already an Animal Birth Control programme in place to deal with increasing colony dog populations. We need to understand that these dogs must be fed and shown love by the community. Then it becomes easier for them to be caught and sterilised. It is imperative that we tackle the situation with humanity and logic.”
Meet Ashar, emergency response coordinator with PETA said: “Cases of animal abuse has been rising in the recent past. It is alarming. The Supreme Court has already stated that animals have constitutional rights to life. This perception about colony dogs being aggressive is born out of isolated cases. Once sterilised, they are more docile. We have created this problem, and the government must implement sterilisation thoroughly.”
Ms. Meel meanwhile, also praised the police for being helpful and filing an FIR immediately based on her complaint. She told the police that she was told by the night guard that until 2.30 a.m., the puppies were alright. She said the murder might have occurred between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.
The sight of the murder is a blind spot where no CCTV cameras are installed.
Savita Kundu (40), another resident of the complex, said one of her neighbours had heard the puppies crying between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.
Other residents were less sure of what had occured.
Sonam Sharma (29) said she thought that the puppies might have drowned due to heavy rains or that some dogs from outside the complex had come in at night and killed them.
Deepak (32), who works within the society, said he heard a rumour that the puppies were poisoned.
The RWA of Kargil Apartments, upon asked for a comment, refused to make one until “further deliberations within the RWA Committee was conducted”.
A member of the RWA strongly objected to journalists investigating within the complex, which is tightly guarded at both entry and exit points.
The police said that a preliminary enquiry into the deaths of the seven puppies has been conducted and a case under Section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle) of the Indian Penal Code and 11L of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act has been registered.