Dr Marwah Speaks - Let Us be Humane to Animals
It may not strike many readers, but it is a fact that the animal world deserves much better treatment by human kind, than what they are getting today. The nation observes the animal welfare fortnight from jan 14 to jan 30 every year with much fanfare. Just think about such days or weeks that are observed under some pretext or the other. Mother's day, Father's day, Friendship day, Wild life week, The World day for animals etc. These days undoubtedly have their significance but does that mean we care for these individuals only on these days and treat them with sheer contempt, the rest of the year! Why do we then neglect the animal world and treat them with such cruelty and indifference that laws have to be enforced? Are we so insensitive to the suffering of these mute animals that we cannot overcome our greed? It is beyond the text of this article to narrate the cruelties man has been inflicting on animals, but I would like to highlight a few of them; just a fraction of what is happening around the world.
We belong to great heritage of Gautama Buddha, Jain munis, saints and peers who preached us, "Love all creatures". The message of ahimsa preached in our country spread soon to the west. But as we developed culturally, we have in the process lost the humane touch. The first prevention of cruelty to animals act was enacted in 1890, but remained in books until reintroduced by Smt. Rukmani Devi Arundale, then Rajya Sabha member in 1959, passed with initial resistance in 1960 and amended in 1982. Though the act was enacted in right earnest, the zeal to implement it was lacking until smt. Maneka Gandhi took it to her heart and saw to it that the legislation and the animals got their due. Mrs. Maneka Gandhi deserves credit for the positive development in the field of animal welfare. The scenario has changed considerably since then.
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, (PCA) in a nutshell covers all types of cruelties, whether inflicted maliciously or otherwise, to all animals. The act defines animals as any living creature - other than human beings. If you look around, you will see that a lot of animals are suffering at the hands of mankind. animals are our friends and are a part and parcel of our lives. There are so many things that we derive from animals including pleaseure from their company, yet we continue to ignore their suffering.
One can see the overloaded carts beyond the pulling capacity of bullocks, horses and buffaloes. Besides being injured and pulling the cart in the hot sun, the animals are often beaten by the driver.
Chickens are often carried upside down in very crowded cages.
Circus animals are kept in such small cages that they cannot even move with ease.
Animals are used in films by adopting cruel methods.
Snakes are captured and tortured only to be worshipped later on Nag Panchami and after that left in the forest, only to be killed by predators or to die painful deaths. Those that are very frail or half dead are nailed through their head on a tree and skinned, since the valuable skin can be peeled off and used for commercial purposes.
Animals are brutally sacrificed at the altar for religious and superstitious reasons.
The sufferings are endless and let us do some soul searching to find out how many of us actually take any action to punish the culprits and bring them to book.
The PCA act protects animals from all such atrocities. Even the experiments on animals are now monitored by a committee, which heps in alleviating the sufferings of these mute animals. There are various animal welfare groups but they have their own limitations. The major help should come from the public at large and from the law enforcing authorities. Most of the NGO's, whether animal or human welfare, suffer from financial and manpower crunch and hence citizens are requested to contribute in the best possible ways. Let us teach our younger generation to be more concerned about our fellow beings, man or animal, so that they become more sensitive and concerned citizens of tomorrow.
We belong to great heritage of Gautama Buddha, Jain munis, saints and peers who preached us, "Love all creatures". The message of ahimsa preached in our country spread soon to the west. But as we developed culturally, we have in the process lost the humane touch. The first prevention of cruelty to animals act was enacted in 1890, but remained in books until reintroduced by Smt. Rukmani Devi Arundale, then Rajya Sabha member in 1959, passed with initial resistance in 1960 and amended in 1982. Though the act was enacted in right earnest, the zeal to implement it was lacking until smt. Maneka Gandhi took it to her heart and saw to it that the legislation and the animals got their due. Mrs. Maneka Gandhi deserves credit for the positive development in the field of animal welfare. The scenario has changed considerably since then.
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, (PCA) in a nutshell covers all types of cruelties, whether inflicted maliciously or otherwise, to all animals. The act defines animals as any living creature - other than human beings. If you look around, you will see that a lot of animals are suffering at the hands of mankind. animals are our friends and are a part and parcel of our lives. There are so many things that we derive from animals including pleaseure from their company, yet we continue to ignore their suffering.
One can see the overloaded carts beyond the pulling capacity of bullocks, horses and buffaloes. Besides being injured and pulling the cart in the hot sun, the animals are often beaten by the driver.
Chickens are often carried upside down in very crowded cages.
Circus animals are kept in such small cages that they cannot even move with ease.
Animals are used in films by adopting cruel methods.
Snakes are captured and tortured only to be worshipped later on Nag Panchami and after that left in the forest, only to be killed by predators or to die painful deaths. Those that are very frail or half dead are nailed through their head on a tree and skinned, since the valuable skin can be peeled off and used for commercial purposes.
Animals are brutally sacrificed at the altar for religious and superstitious reasons.
The sufferings are endless and let us do some soul searching to find out how many of us actually take any action to punish the culprits and bring them to book.
The PCA act protects animals from all such atrocities. Even the experiments on animals are now monitored by a committee, which heps in alleviating the sufferings of these mute animals. There are various animal welfare groups but they have their own limitations. The major help should come from the public at large and from the law enforcing authorities. Most of the NGO's, whether animal or human welfare, suffer from financial and manpower crunch and hence citizens are requested to contribute in the best possible ways. Let us teach our younger generation to be more concerned about our fellow beings, man or animal, so that they become more sensitive and concerned citizens of tomorrow.
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