Pune: The Hinjewadi police late on Tuesday night registered a case against an ‘ animal shelter ' owner at Dattawadi on charge of killing a dog, which a Ravet woman (32) had kept at the facility between Oct 5 and 18. The police, along with animal welfare volunteers, visited the shelter and found at least 50 cats and dogs locked in cages without any food or water. The suspect was booked under Section 325 (mischief by killing or maiming an animal) of the BNS and the relevant sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
"The man is absconding. We are searching for him," sub-inspector Dnyaneshwar Zol of the Hinjewadi police told TOI. At least 15 dogs and 35 cats crammed in four to five cages were rescued by animal welfare volunteers from the facility functioning as the animal shelter following former Union minister Maneka Gandhi 's intervention on Oct 19.
Gandhi had told TOI that the man used to collect money from the animal welfare volunteers by claiming to provide shelter to the cats and dogs till they were adopted. Zol said the complainant stated that she kept the dog in the facility on Oct 5 and paid the man Rs 12,000 for it. "The complainant told us that she requested the suspect to share the dog's photographs and videos with her regularly.
He never shared the photos or videos and later started avoiding her calls," Zol said. The officer said the woman visited the shelter and found it was locked. She then printed pamphlets with the photograph of the dog and distribu.
