DogExpress
A dog in Kasara, Thane (rural) region, lost both his front legs in a horrific acid attack recently. The impact of the acid was so immense that both his legs were instantly severed.
Following the intervention of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, the Kasara police registered FIR against a man Qayum Khan and his wife Afreen earlier this week for allegedly attacking the dog with acid.
“The dog was often seen sitting or sleeping near the house of the accused couple, who did not like his presence. I contacted the senior officials of Thane (rural) police as soon as I got to know about it,” said activist Meet Ashar of PETA India.
He further added that besides the amputation of the dog’s front legs, the dog also lost his left ear in this attack. “The dog was further treated by the Sharan For Animals NGO in Nashik and has been adopted by its founder, Sharanya Shetty, who named him Hope,” said Ashar.
Kasara police lodged the FIR under section 429 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC); sections 11(1)(a) and (l) of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960; and Section 119 of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951. Section 429 of the IPC prohibits maiming an animal, and the offenders could face a jail term of up to five years, with or without a fine.
“PETA India commends the efforts of the Thane (rural) police and thanks to them for their clear message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated,” said Ashar. “Since those who abuse animals often move on to harming humans, it’s imperative that the public report cases of cruelty to animals such as this one, for everyone’s sake, ” he added.
Acid and boiled water attacks on animals are commonly reported in India. In 2016, a man in Uttar Pradesh poured acid on five newborn puppies for barking at him. In 2017, state police registered FIRs for an acid attack on 15 abandoned cows in Uttar Pradesh and an acid attack on four cows and bulls in Odisha. That same year, 31 dogs in a shelter in Punjab and a community dog in Rajasthan were attacked with acid. In 2018, a community dog in Punjab died from an acid attack. In 2019, four community dogs and one companion dog were attacked with acid in Gujarat. The same year, West Bengal police lodged an FIR for the murder of a community dog with acid. Earlier this year, a woman in Kerala threw boiling water on a community dog, causing serious burns.
Research shows that people who commit acts of cruelty to animals are often repeated offenders who move on to hurting other animals or humans. In a study of domestic violence victims, 60% of women said that their abusive partners had harmed or killed their dogs or other animals. According to the data released by the national crime records bureau, the government of India, between 2014 and 2018, there were 1,483 human victims of acid attacks in the country.
Animal activists have long campaigned to strengthen the PCA Act, 1960, which contains outdated, inadequate penalties, such as a maximum fine of only Rs 50 for convicted first-time offenders, although the IPC contains stronger punishments.
Source: Times of India
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in Chandigarh, India. 
