42 cats, dogs rescued from 'unhygienic' Virar flat

Some of their cats

The dozens of cats and dogs found in unhygienic condition at a Virar flat, from where the police had recovered decomposed bodies of three pets on Monday, have been rescued. Hands That Heal, a Navi Mumbai-based NGO, on Tuesday took away the 31 cats and 11 dogs, said the police on Wednesday.

The police are now awaiting the post-mortem report of the three pets whose carcasses were found in the flat rented by Shehnaz Jani on Monday. They will take further action against Jani, who was booked under the Animal Cruelty Act, after receiving the post-mortem report.

Also Read: Cat, dog found dead in 3BHK Virar flat with 35 pets

One of the many dogs that were rescued by an NGO from their flat. Pics/Hanif Patel

Jani, 55, had claimed that she found these animals on the streets and brought them home to give them shelter. However, the residents of M-Avenue alleged that Jani and her daughters performed black magic using these animals.

The residents took a sigh of relief after the animals were rescued. Jani's next door neighbour Neha Arya said the former's house was dirty and it would stink. "Aunty (Jani) had told me that she would leave the flat by April 15 but she didn't," said Arya.

Shehnaz Jani with her daughters Ayesha and Farah

While the residents of the apartment have alleged animal torture and black magic, Jani said she had brought these animals home as she cared for them. "We could not eat anything after the NGO took away our animals. My daughters did not sleep in the night nor did I," Jani told mid-day. Jani had shifted to the flat in Global City area of Virar West in March with her two daughters - Ayesha, 20, and Farha, 25.

"We want our animals back. They have shown cruelty to the animals by taking them away from us. We always took good care of them and provided them healthy food and bottled water," said Ayesha.

Also Read: Mumbai: No shelter yet for 35 pets caged in Virar flat

Nisha Arya

Late Wednesday, Jani approached the Arnala police station and registered a case against the housing society. "Jani has alleged that the society had put her under house arrest to restrain her from getting medicines for her daughter who is a heart patient. She further alleged in her complaint that a few society members assaulted her after entering her flat. We are in the process of registering an FIR and a few names of the society members will be added to the FIR," Lengare said.

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