Every 60 seconds, an animal gets abused in India. Although we have Section 428 and 429 in our country, cases of animal abuse are not taken too seriously by the state government, which makes it difficult to calculate just how common they are.
Animal cruelty can take many forms but the impact is always the same. If you are looking forward to stopping animal abuse in India, continue reading this post on how to stop animal cruelty.
In this blog, Helplocal will tell everything one needs to know about animal cruelty. From definition to facts and types of solutions, we have covered all the essential information. Let us first try to understand what exactly animal cruelty is.
Animal cruelty: definition
Animal cruelty is defined as any intentional and repeated behavior that causes physical or psychological distress in animals. It encompasses a range of behaviors harmful to animals, from neglect to malicious killing. Animal abuse is common in both rural and urban areas of India.
The animals whose abuse is most often reported are dogs, cats, horses, and livestock. Some people in India abuse animals for fun, while others do so to show their dominance and hate towards innocent beings.
Animal cruelty facts
If you want to fight animal cruelty or help raise awareness, look at some most shocking and bitter facts about animal abuse in India and other countries:
- Every 60 seconds an animal suffers abuse.
- India slaughters around 1.6 land-based animals per person/year, which is less than a fifth of the global average of 9.7.
- India was given a “C” under the Animal Protection Index (API) and is also a moderate performer under the Sanctioning Cruelty category.
- Approximately 250,000 animals become victims of animal hoarding every year.
- Over 115 million animals – mice, rats, dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys, birds, among others – are killed in laboratory experiments worldwide for chemical, drug, food, and cosmetics testing every year.
Unfortunately, as these animal abuse statistics have shown, animal cruelty is a real issue in India that takes millions of victims every year. People should be aware of the daily struggles some animals go through and give their best to help them.
Read on to learn types of animal cruelty and how to stop animal cruelty at individual level!
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Types of animal cruelty
All animals in India have the right to live happily without fear or pain, but some people don’t think so. They torture them in different ways for the sake of their monetary benefits or entertainment. We have gathered different types of animal cruelty activities that will show you the abhorrent side of our society.
Before learning how to stop animal cruelty, let’s learn about different types of animal cruelty activities performed in India:
#1 Cultural rituals
Cultural animal abuse is the most common type of animal cruelty activity one could see in India. Many rituals in India demand for animals either to get tortured or sacrifice their lives. For example, in some parts of India, elephants are captured so that people could perform different cruel methods to break their spirit, including starvation, sleep deprivation, or driving nails into the ear and feet.
Similarly, people slaughter the goat’s head in the context of a festival. Cultural animal abuse is one of the highly committed cruelty acts in India.
#2 Movie and TV industry
When you see a cute dog or maybe a wild animal performing either in a Bollywood movie or on the silver screen, think about how they were domesticated and trained. Also, give a thought to the sort of conditions they were kept in.
In case you don’t know, training animals for movies and TV shows can seldom hurt them. Their trainers are notorious for using physically abusive tactics in training. They fail to provide adequate shelter, veterinary care, food, and environmental enrichment. This is the reason why many animals die while shooting a scene.
#3 Laboratory experiments
It is true that we wouldn’t have many lives-saving remedies without experimenting on animals. However, such activities can surely be classified as animal abuse because of a sudden change in ethical standards and the development of technologies. Many scientists of India have admitted that their poorly designed products or vaccines led to so many meaningless animals’ lives.
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#4 Domestic violence
Domestic violence is one of the major types of animal cruelty in India. It is often motivated by the desire for domination and power which often goes hand in hand with animal abuse. According to experts, a human likely to hit his family members in anger could also hit his pet. Domestic violence is the most common background for animal cruelty in children.
#5 Animal circus
Of course, we all love to see elephants dancing on the ball or lions following commands on a whip. But have you any idea of how much torture and pain these speechless creatures have to go through. There are hundreds of documentations reporting animal cruelty in India not only during the training process but also in matters of caging, feeding, veterinary care, etc.
#6 Farm animal abuse
Another common animal abuse type one could see in India. It is impossible to transport a huge number of animals in the right way. Farm animals are forced to undergo dozens of unpleasant, invasive procedures, such as cutting, branding, tongue resection, dehorning, ear tagging, dubbing, beak-trimming, tail docking, etc.
For instance, people give steroids to chickens so they can grow faster. In some cases, their body parts can’t handle the pressure of steroids. Their heart, lungs, or bones often cannot keep up. One in a hundred chickens in India dies because of the dosages of steroids.
How to stop animal cruelty?
Animal cruelty is an epidemic that is not going away without people doing the right thing and speaking up. The only way we can start to correct the problem is by taking a stand and let people know that it’s not OK to mistreat or neglect animals.
Here’s how to stop animal cruelty in India by taking small steps:
#1 Teach your children
If you want to make a change in your society, start from your home. Teach your children about animal welfare. Teach them to stand against animal cruelty and explain how could they let animals survive in India.
#2 Intervene in animal abuse
Intervene if you witness animal cruelty, abuse, or neglect. Do what you can to stop someone from mistreating an animal. However, we ask you to be sensible and not to put yourself in danger. If necessary, seek help from other witnesses.
#3 Shelter an animal in need
You can also be a helping hand for an animal in need. An animal that has been mistreated needs support, sometimes immediately. Make a real difference by taking an animal out of a harmful situation and finding a shelter for it. Non-profit animal welfare organizations work hard to give proper treatment to stray animals.
#4 Donate to NGOs
As we said earlier, non-profit organizations play a vital role in animal welfare. They work hard to help stray animals get rid of animal cruelty and abuse. Donate to animal NGOs to help them reach more animals for the sake of their safety. The easiest way to stop animal cruelty!
A complete DIY guide to donating to NGOs and charities in India.
#5 Demand strict laws
Visit the office of local political parties and demand more strict laws for animal welfare. Convince them how protecting animals from abuse could help them in making India a great nation. Stronger animal welfare laws and harsher penalties will lead to fewer cruelty cases.
#6 Educate others
Educate people around you about the issue. Make them understand how they can intrude in situations where animals are being neglected or even tormented. Animals have a right to live without fear or pain. Let people know they have a responsibility to step in if their rights aren’t appreciated.
#7 Avoid consuming animal products
Non-vegetarian people of India looking forward to stopping animal cruelty should stop eating products made from animals first. Switch to a vegan diet, instead. By doing so, you could minimize animals from getting slaughtered by humans.
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Awareness is the most important thing when it comes to preventing animal abuse. You can stop it when you see it. The aforementioned tips will help you in stopping animal abuse in India.
Top animal welfare NGOs in India to work with
Working with top animal welfare NGOs in India is the most satisfying job. However, most people cannot find the relevant one. We have prepared a list of the best animal welfare NGOs in India. The animal welfare centers work hard to save animals from abuse and torture and provide them with love, attention, and care.
The following are well-known animal welfare NGOs in India:
#1 YODA Rehabilitation Center for Animals, Mumbai
YODA is one of the best NGOs that creates awareness about not abusing abandoned and stray animals in India. It motivates people to adopt stray animals for their welfare. YODA is also famous for its animals’ federal aid services like rescue, rehabilitation, re-homing, medical-aid, background research for adopters, and medical emergencies.
Contact number: 098190 08110
Gmail: pooja@yoda.co.in
#2 Red Paws Rescue, New Delhi
Another famous animal well-being NGO of India. Started in 2010, Red Paws Rescue was founded by Sadhwi Sondhi at the young age of seventeen. This NGO has the primary objective to spread awareness about the ongoing abuse of abandoned and stray animals in Delhi, India.
Red Paws Rescue also provides ethical treatment to puppies, dogs, and other pets and helps them find a sweet home.
Gmail: redpawsrescue@gmail.com
#3 Our Faith, Dehradun
Our Faith NGO is one of the best NGOs that aims to rescue, treat, and rehabilitate animals in need. It was founded by Niharika Kapoor back in 2014. Located in Dehradun, India, Our Faith has a team of experts that provides housing and timely medical aid to abandoned and stray animals. Other than animal welfare, this NGO also works in the field of environmental and human well-being.
Contact number:
Gmail: ourfaith.ddn@gmail.com
Volunteer in Helplocal
Above organizations and NGOs could help you stop animal cruelty in India. Witnessing cruelty to animals is an upsetting experience, but knowing how to handle the situation properly can save a life and prevent the abuser from harming other victims.
Helplocal is trying to stop animal cruelty and neglect by providing a platform to small and local NGOs of India so that they could reach more volunteers and donors. Contact us to join as a volunteer and help us in obtaining justice for innocent animals.
Have questions in mind? Drop your questions in the comments section and have them answered by our experts.
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