Photo for representation purposes only by Fredrik Öhlander on Unsplash
The nationwide coronavirus lockdown imposed in India means that everything from your favourite restaurant to your designated Saturday night hotspot to the neighbourhood temple have been shuttered to break the cycle of infection. And while it’s understandable that our social life must take a back seat for a greater cause, humans aren’t the only ones having a hard time amidst the lockdown.
On Tuesday, March 24, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) asked all state governments to make sure that animals kept in pet stores or breeding facilities didn’t face the worst of the shutdown. Worried about these animals being locked inside empty stores without food, water or adequate temperature control, AWBI Chairman OP Chaudhary wrote a letter saying, “All such pet shops are to be evacuated by the State Animal Welfare Boards through SPCAs (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)… Where there are no SPCAs available, the district administration shall ensure to check and evacuate all animals.” This plea comes after the AWBI got several complaints about dogs, cats, birds and fish being left to starve at pet stores. “It is requested to kindly issue necessary directions to all district authorities to check the pet shops in the locality for searching of animals, if any, and evacuate them,” urges their letter. Authorities will now allow dog feeders to visit the stores and will issue a permit to make sure they stay honest about why they’re venturing out.
While India’s lockdown has come with its own set of problems, this apathy and anxiety towards pets has been breeding for a while. Even though the World Health Organisation (WHO) let the dogs out in a statement that confirmed your canine companions and their feline counterparts couldn’t contract a contagious COVID-19 infection, they encouraged people to still maintain some distance and wash their hands before and after playing with their pets. However, this was misconstrued by many as a notice that pets could be carriers of coronavirus, thereby compelling many urban city residents to abandon their pets. All this while stray animals that largely relied on restaurant waste for their food supply are also starving.If the coronavirus has taught us anything, it’s that we all need to be kinder to each other. And this kindness and empathy should definitely extend to our cuddly companions.Follow Shamani Joshi on Instagram.