Finally, animals might get what they richly deserve!

Of late, there has been an increasing awareness (in some parts of India) on the issue of animal welfare, their rights and protection. However, the degree of awareness and its full implementation is still far, far below the standards set and practiced in other countries around the globe. But animal lovers in India are happy that at least the country's policy makers have finally taken the initiative to find the right direction and enacting laws for animal protection.

Consider this: A recent announcement by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (Draft Pet Shop Rules 2010) had proposed strict regulations for owners of domestic pets. To begin with, if you have a pet at home you must register their birth and death besides providing a certificate for the cause of death from a certified veterinarian.

For people involved in the sale of pets, the Ministry has laid down rules on the upkeep of the animals that are intended for sale. The owners of the pet shop should keep the animals in enviable living conditions including providing them with air conditioning, proper room temperature, fire fighting equipments, proper hygiene conditions etc. The pet shop owners will be legally penalized for cruelty to animals if any of these stipulations are not strictly met!

And if you are a buyer of a pedigree dog or other such animals, the seller will screen you on your ability and potential to properly take care of the animal, which includes your willingness and efforts to train the pet, socialize and addressing health concerns of the pet.

Now this draft might be approved in its present form and could become a law, but the real difficulty lies in its strict implementation. Let us hope that common sense prevails and this much-awaited law is finally passed and fully implemented. After all, animals richly deserve this.

For more information on this: http://moef.nic.in/downloads/public-information/Pet%20Shop%20Rules%202010.pdf

Snowball (TM), the dancing diva

I saw this amazing video on "Most outrageous Talented Pets' on Animal Planet. Snowball (TM) is a medium sulphur crested cockatoo residing at Bird Lovers Only Rescue Service, Inc., in northwest Indiana. Snowball's specialty is that it can dance to the different music played. And the fun part is Snowball can match dance steps to the changing tempo.

I enjoyed the video and Snowball's dance moves but I personally do not endorse this practice that pet animals should be 'trained' to do this or that. Pet animals should be shown love and respect and you may give training to them but ensure that they enjoy it. Please do not force them to doing things that they don't like. I mean some things in life is best enjoyable only when they are left as they are. Being natural has its own beauty!

Jumbo camps: But where are they?

Jumbo camps: But where are they?

They are the most loved animals in India. And ironically, they are the most neglected ones! It is nothing but sheer mockery of faith when the same people and politicians who worship the elephant-faced Lord Ganesha continue to display utter apathy when it comes to the welfare of elephants. Consider this: According to official statistics there are at least 140 elephants housed in 26 different zoos and 16 circuses across India. And there are roughly 3,500 captive elephants either in the many temples across the country and forced to roam around the streets to collect alms or in logging camps transporting timbers.

The jumbo park plan!

In November last year, the Government of India announced that some of these captive elephants in zoos, circuses and temples would be housed in the soon-to-be-created ‘elephant camps’ in the jungles of India while the other young, active and competent ones would help patrol tiger reserves or in the eco-tourism projects.

The animal right activists hailed the move by the Government for this decision for it was a culmination of their long years of campaign to free and provide the captive elephants their natural habitat in forests.

8 months after, no progress yet!

But even after 8 months of announcing the plan except for a handful of elephants in one or two states transferred to jumbo parks a majority of the captive elephants continue to languish in their environments.

According to the Animal Welfare Board of India despite the announcement there have no new parks created and no funds allocated! To add to the problems, the illegal encroachments by man into the vast areas of jungles for mining projects have literally left no place for creation of new parks!

Fatal consequences!

The consequence of the official indifference in implementing the “jumbo parks plan” has meant continued suffering for the elephants. A few years ago in Mumbai an elephant roaming the streets begging was hit by a water tanker and was left unattended to suffer for one full day before it succumbed to the injuries! And in another incident an elephant disturbed by the bursting crackers on the streets went on a rampage smashing many cars before it was controlled by the paramilitary troops! These are just a few in the series of fatal accidents the elephants were exposed to!

The delay in implementing the plan to move captive elephants to jumbo parks has also meant loss of human lives! In 2006 in the state of Kerala, a temple elephant went on a rampage killing many people who had assembled there on a festive day. And last month a drunken man who sneaked into the Byculla Zoo in Mumbai to steal the iron padlock was trampled to death by a captive elephant.

The reason for the unruly behavior by the captive elephants is that they are made to live under high stress in unfriendly captive environments and most of them are chained or made to work for long hours.

A survey on Indian zoos found that the conditions and facilities in a majority of these zoos are sub-standard and literally not fit for keeping animals! Living day in and day out in these appalling conditions obviously negatively impacts the elephants’ mental balances leading to mood swings and increased arrogance. It also shortens their lifespan! The pachyderms are highly social animals when they are in their natural habitat and can live up to 60 or 65 years unlike their captive counterparts who live only for 15 years!

It is high time that the Government of India and the ‘inactive’ state governments to start implementing the plan to free the captive elephants and move them to their natural habitats if not for the sake of elephants but at least for saving human lives. Anyone listening?!

A True Love Story - A Happy Reunion

India's first blood bank for dogs in Chennai

It is the first of its kind in the country! From now on dogs needing blood transfusion will have quicker and better assistance! Thanks to the inauguration of the first blood bank for dogs in Tamil Nadu by the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), dog lovers and owners can now heave a big sigh of relief. The inauguration was a part of the week long celebrations to mark the World Veterinary Day.

Just like their human counterparts dogs too have different types of blood and even universal donor type which means it can be donated to dogs of any blood type. The blood bank for dogs in Chennai will have facilities to collect blood, do blood-typing, and store them for possible use. In fact, Hot Dog, a black Labrador became the first dog in the country to donate blood to the blood bank on Monday, April 26. Any healthy dog can donate blood so that it could be used for those dogs that might need them.

Dogs might need blood transfusion when they are injured due to road accidents or when they suffer from hypoproteinemia, or severe anemia, or spleen injury or due to deficiencies of iron. Some complicated surgeries might also warrant transfusion of blood in dogs.

TANUVAS has announced many attractive schemes for dog owners. You may have more information about this blood bank by visiting this link: http://www.tanuvas.tn.nic.in/nea/docs/Blood_bank.pdf

The phone numbers to contact the Emergency and Critical Care Unit of the Veterinary College are: 044-25381509, 044-25385701
Email: tanuvasanimalbloodbank@gnlaiLconl

The TANUVAS website is http://www.tanuvas.tn.nic.in/

Please visit this link and read it

Hello, It's been a while I contributed something worthy here. I request you to visit this link and read the story here. It's an eye opener for people like me who have always believed that packaged foods for pet dogs is the best option available today. Visit this link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/diet/Junk-food-may-kill-your-pet/articleshow/5781248.cms

Some basic tips for your cats’ health

Cats are instinctively big self-groomers! After a meal you can notice cats comfortably sitting down to lick their paws, and gently clean their faces, and their entire body. Cats often devote more time to clean themselves by licking and because of this they inadvertently swallow the hair caught in their paws. These fur balls when swallowed could upset their tummy and they could end up vomiting. To avoid this you could gently brush your cat’s coat I mean the fur a few times every day. Initially your cat might not like it but as time goes by your cat will get used to it! Brushing your cat can also help him/her stay hydrated and subsequently avoid bladder infections.

Avoid giving some human foods to cats. It might be toxic for them and moreover it could turn fatal if they develop more liking for human food than theirs which could ultimately make them lose the essential nutrients found in cat foods. For example, onions, chocolates and garlic can kill red blood cells in cats and cause anemia. Similarly, grapes, green tomatoes, raisins should be avoided.

(to be continued…)