Animal cruelty is a character flaw of the highest degree

Representational image. Pic/iStock

The Malad police have registered an FIR against a woman who injured a dog in her society by throwing acid at it. The canine's caretaker alleged that this woman looked after cats in the society and believed the dog was barking at the cats and harassing them.

After acid was thrown on him, the dog could be seen running around frantically in pain and during treatment, it was found his skin was burned.

A police officer said that an FIR has been registered.

Canines have been at the receiving end of cruelty in so many places. From cans, etc., tied to their tails, to being beaten up, we as a society seem to take a perverse pleasure in inflicting pain upon the voiceless. When a dog is dangerous or tends to bite, people need to call the BMC or an animal organisation to deal with the problem.

Here, this cats vs dog problem has actually resulted in a resident taking matters into her own hands. Instead, there could have been dialogue with the caretaker, solutions could be found as to how best to tackle this. Keep the cats and dogs separated, or any such option could have been explored. Talks in the beginning could have solved the problem, where the caretaker and the cat lover find a way out to let the animals co-exist.

In several residential societies we do have cat lovers and dog lovers, too. Each cannot resort to anything like this in order to ‘protect' the animals. To use acid, though investigations are still on, is illegal, criminal and highly dangerous. This has to be probed fully and comprehensively.

We have seen and read about so much conflict involving dogs and cats in residential societies. There has to be some kind of resolution, also involving the building society committee for these.

Residents must be safe and surrounding kept clean, and a humane way out for the animals.