Pet cruelty remains hidden behind closed doors

80 per cent of buyers give up their pets once their children’s interest dies down

LAHORE:

“What do you want for your next birthday? A Hot Wheels collection. A Lego set. A Persian cat?” Although pets can be a priceless addition to one’s home, they require consistent care and affection from the owners, who should be wholly committed to their well-being. Unfortunately, however, when parents start randomly gifting animals to their spoiled little ones, the pet becomes nothing more than a living stuff toy in no time.

According to the Punjab Wildlife Act, it is necessary to obtain a license from Punjab Wildlife to keep wild animals and birds at home but since dogs and cats are not wild animals, they do not require a license. In the absence of a system to monitor the condition of domesticated pets, many people buy kittens and puppies only to abandon them as soon as their children's interest dies down.

Mian Abdul Waheed, a resident of Model Town, revealed that a few months ago, he purchased a puppy and some birds from the Tollinton Market as a gift for his 9-year-old son. However, now he was looking to give away the pets since his son was no longer interested in playing with the animals. “The puppy remains locked in his cage the whole day and has fallen sick many times. Therefore, we want to hand him over to someone who can take care of it,” said Waheed.

Although Waheed was honest about his family’s inability to take care of their pet, other pet owners rarely bat an eye about the condition of the innocent animals suffering in their homes. Reportedly, many pets are kept hungry and thirsty at homes, where children often physically mistreat the speechless creatures, yet the incidents of cruelty remain unreported since they occur behind closed doors.

“Almost 80 per cent of the buyers purchase pets on the demand of their children only to bring them back a few weeks later once their children have lost interest. While some parents hand over the pets to their friends and relatives, others abandon them on the roads,” confirmed Mubeen Butt, a trader at the Tollinton Market in Lahore.

At the Tollinton market, the price of one to two-month-old puppies varies according to their breed, ranging from Rs15,000 to Rs250,000. Notable among the dog breeds are the Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, Greyhound, Pointing dog, Bulldog, Afghani Pit Bull, Husky, Rottweiler and Labrador Retriever. Among cats, Persian cats are a common preference, with their prices reaching Rs15,000.

According to Zufishan Anushay, an animal rights activist running an animal rescue center, approximately 60 to 70 per cent of the calls she receives for animal rescue are from pet owners, who want to drop off their cats or dogs at the rescue center.

“Furthermore, among the injured animals rescued from the roads, there are a large number of animals that are left abandoned. Parents usually buy baby pets for their children, and they quickly get along with the family. However, as soon as the pets are neglected, they get sick and stop eating. Since they are living beings and not toys, they can sense human behaviours. Therefore, it is the responsibility of parents to teach their children how to take care of their pets,” urged Anushay.