Bhopal: Second wave takes its ‘toll’ on pets too, many found abandoned in last 2 months

BHOPAL: Pets are Covid’s collateral casualties in the second barrage. There has been an increase in the incidents of pet abandonment amid the second wave. In the last two months there have been reports of adolescent and adult dogs being abandoned, especially near the outskirts of the city.
Last year during the first lockdown, many families started adopting strays, especially dogs. Pedigree breeds like St Bernard, German Shephard, Husky, Pomeranian are among some of the dogs that were found abandoned in Bhopal in the last two months.
“2020 lockdown seemed like an easier time, people were adjusting to WFH and realized they would be staying at home for quite some time and decided to bring home pets, especially stray puppies,” said Deepika Yadav, a social activist.
This novel lockdown trend however, ended in tears, with many pets being abandoned during the second wave. “As soon as India started moving towards normalcy, many families realized that they might not be able to handle the responsibilities that come with being pet parents. Instead of looking for a suitable rehabilitation option, people found it easier to abandon their pandemic pets,” says Ishita Khemaria, an animal activist. Khemaria also works for rescue and rehabilitation of abandoned dogs.
“The harsher second wave has also led to financial troubles in families. The veterinary hospitals are also not running on full capacity. Families feel that a sick pet will add to their trouble and choose to abandon them, which is very heartbreaking,” says Neeti Khare, an animal activist, working in Bhopal for over 20 years. “Abandoning your pet on the street is not only inhumane but also an offence as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,1960,” adds Khemaria.
“Street dogs were being adopted a lot during the last lockdown. Now, when things are getting tough, families think that since they were street dogs they will be able to survive on their own out in the street. First of all, if you translocate a dog there will be territorial issues,” adds Khare.
Khare last week rescued a pregnant dog that had been abandoned. The dog is now well and has given birth to nine healthy puppies. What to do then if a family is unable to take care of their pet due to financial or health reasons? “In case, there is an emergency, and you cannot take care of your pet, you should try and contact animal care NGOs and activists who can help in re-homing your pets. They can help you find an adopter,” says Khare. “There is also the option of fostering. There are some incidents in which the entire family is Covid infected and there is no one to take care of the pet. In such a case, you can look for a family or individual willing to foster your pet for a temporary time period, until the family recovers.”
If you spot an abandoned pets, what can you do to help? “Contact an NGO that helps in rehabilitation of pets, or if you can, volunteer to be a foster parent, it is that simple,” said Khemaria.