Fee dispute: LHC moved against vet for killing pet cat

Dr Atia, a PU assistant professor, says vet gave wrong injections to her pet cat

LAHORE: Justice James Joseph of Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday sought a reply from an SHO on a petition, seeking the registration of a case against a veterinary doctor for allegedly killing a pet cat by administering it the wrong injections.

Dr Atia Masood, an assistant professor at the Punjab University, had filed the petition. “I used to take my (male) cat to Dr Awais Anees and pay him Rs6,000 per visit whenever it fell sick. On January 18, 2015, my cat fell sick and I called Anees. He demanded Rs25,000 this time to treat the cat. I paid him Rs10,000 and requested him not to insist on more. Because of this, Anees got annoyed and administered five injections and a drip to the cat which caused its death. Afterwards, Anees ran away,” the petitioner stated.

Her counsel, Advocate Abdul Rasheed, told the court that Anees had deliberately killed the cat.

“My client filed an application with Nawab Town police to register a case against Anees. However, the SHO refused to entertain it,” he said.

He said that she had then approached the court of a justice of peace. However, the justice of peace had dismissed the application, as non-maintainable.

He said that it was a doctor’s duty to give proper treatment to his patients. “If he fails to provide the proper treatment, his licence should be cancelled. Action should be taken against incompetent and careless doctors,” the counsel said.

He requested the court to dismiss the order of the justice of peace and direct the police to register the FIR against the doctor under Section 429 of Pakistan Penal Code.

Under Section 429, a person who deliberately kills an animal can be imprisoned for five years.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2015.