Goons attack dogs, but activists fume at master

After a canine duo stationed by their master to protect disputed property was injured by unidentified assailants, animal rights activists blame dog-owner for exposing them to danger

Goons attack dogs, but activists fume at master

After a canine duo stationed by their master to protect disputed property was injured by unidentified assailants, animal rights activists blame dog-owner for exposing them to danger

On Monday night they were standing sentry at their owner's property, guarding its precincts. Within hours, they had been admitted to hospital, nursing serious injuries following an attack by those who allegedly covet the piece of land.

The injured dog at SPCA Hospital in Parel

The dog owner has lodged a police complaint against the alleged assailants. Enraged animal rights activists, however, have decided to lodge a complaint against the dogs' master, for violating animal rights by stationing them in a high-risk area.

Going by reports given by the Sakinaka police and animal rights activists, the dogs sustained the grievous injuries as a result of being pelted with stones and hit with rods by a group of unidentified people.

The dogs are owned by Rakesh Serrao of Koparkhairane, who owns three other canines. Serrao owns a piece of property in Powai, opposite the Gundecha Hills, which had run into a dispute recently. In a bid to prevent encroachment, Serrao had deployed watchmen and dogs at the plot.

Discovering the abject condition of the dogs, Arpita Pandey and Kaushal Guhya, volunteers of the NGO Animals Matter to Me (AMTM) decided to call for an IDA ambulance, and rushed the dogs to the IDA centre.

Who let the dogs out?
Fizzah Shah, president of IDA, said, "The watchmen hired by Serrao had fled the spot, as a result of which we could not identify the owner of the dogs.
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Now that we are aware, we will lodge a complaint against him for perpetrating cruelty to animals. He was aware of the property dispute and knew that the dogs were exposed to danger. Why did he have to keep them there?" asked Shah.

Both the dogs were transferred to SPCA Hospital in Parel for treatment.u00a0

According to the hospital authorities, the dogs looked malnourished as well. IDA's Dr Guru, after examining the dogs, was of the opinion that they had sustained major injuries owing to repeated hitting.

Animal welfare officer Ganesh Nayak said, "We have visited the site and the police station. The cops there have promised that stringent action will be taken against such cruelty to animals."

When contacted, an officer from the Sakinaka police station said that the matter was under investigation.