Owning a pet is a feeling unparalleled to any other feeling. It’s like having a companion, a partner in crime, a fur buddy, with you 24/7. However, as exhilarating as it is to have a pet it is also as exhausting. Being in constant lookout for your fur buddy and taking its care everyday is now your job and a part of your routine. Many people do a full blown research with regards to everything about their pets and are fully aware of their pet’s nature, behavior, Rights or Laws as provided by the Government. But there are still some people unaware about the same.
So, let’s look at some of the Rights of Pet Animals in India.
- ‘Right to Bark’ – It is like ‘The Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression’ but for dogs because dogs communicate via bark. So the society has to patiently tolerate the barks because it’s their fundamental right.
- ‘Right to Defecate’ – Pets have the Right to defecate in public. However, a pet dog’s defecation needs to be cleaned by its owner.
- ‘Right to a Healthy life’ – Pet animals are entitled to have a healthy lifestyle with proper care and protection and regular health checks and vaccinations.
- ‘Right to enter elevators’ – Pet animals have the Right to enter elevators with their owners. The neighborhood cannot complain about this issue but for the sake of other residents, especially those who are afraid of animals, the pet owner can make sure that no one else enters the elevator when they are with their pets.
- ‘Right to use parks/gardens’ – Animals have the Right to go to park or garden. The banning of pets from these premises is strictly discouraged. However, things can go smoothly with a consensus time table.
- Animals have the Right to be free from any kind of cruelty such as beating and driving away street dogs. If any human tries to torture an animal, the animal is allowed to snip and bite the person in self defense.
GUIDELINES FOR PET OWNERS AND CARE GIVERS –
- Police protection can be provided to dogs and dog feeders, and implying prohibition or causing inconvenience to animal feeders and animals or threatening to kill, relocate or killing any animal is punishable by offense.
- SECTION 503 and 506: Indian Penal Code 1860 has made intimidation a criminal offense. Anyone who tries to threaten or intimidate any animal feeder or animal is liable for criminal intimidation under section 503 of Indian Penal Code and can be arrested without warrant
- I.P.C section 428 and 429 provides severe punishment (up to 5 years of imprisonment) to people resorting to dislocation, abduction or any kind of cruelty towards community animals or pets.
- Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, under section 11, provides criminal offense to all kind of animal cruelty.
- It is illegal for any individual, society, Residents Welfare Association (RWA), Apartment Owners Association (AOA) or any organization to relocate or remove dogs under Stray Dog Management Rules 2001.
- Immunity is provided to animal feeders by the Ministry of Public Grievances and Animal Welfare Board of India. It also restricts government bodies like RWA from harassing the animal feeders.