17 July,2019 07:40 AM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah Khan
Before and after: One of the puppies whose fur was coloured by the boy
The N M Joshi police have booked two people, including a 16-year-old, for allegedly dying the fur of stray dogs and selling them as purebreds. mid-day reported on Saturday that an animal rights NGO had written to MP Maneka Gandhi after fawn-coloured puppies given up for adoption were returned to them a dark brown shade.
The activists had discovered that the teenager had taken the puppies, dyed their fur and passed them off as purebreds. Swapna Gupta, who works with the NGO, had on Friday filed a police complaint suspecting a larger racket.
The police recorded Gupta's statement on Monday and registered a case under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, against the boy and another person, said senior police inspector Pandit Thorat from NM Joshi police station.
The police have identified the other accused as Pratik Tambe, who had accompanied the boy to Gupta's house to adopt the puppies. They later sold the puppies at R10,000 each to different families, said the police.
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"We have registered the case under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, against the two people and are conducting an investigation," said senior police inspector Pandit Thorat from NM Joshi police station.
"I am happy that the police have taken the complaint seriously and registered a case. Now it their duty to investigate the case and find the culprits involved in the racket," said Gupta.
The Honorary District Animal Welfare officer Mitesh Jain said, "Keeping this incident in mind, we need to be more cautious in the future. It is not necessary that every person who joins our group claiming to be an animal lover is telling the truth. Therefore, my request to all the animal lovers is that when giving dogs up for adoption, verify the person's credentials and keep checking on them."
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