CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: A pet dog and eight strays, including four puppies, were found dead in the Pahadsinghpura area on Friday. It is believed the animals had consumed poisoned biscuits. Begampura police have filed a case against an unidentified person following a complaint by the pet owner.
Animal rights activists reacted to the incident sharply and launched a social media hunt to track down the culprit.
Nine dogs found dead in Sambhajinagar, cops register case after 'poison in biscuits' claim In her complaint, Usha Ghate, the 52-year-old pet owner, said her six-year-old labrador was off-leash for a brief period around 6.45am on Friday. "The dog, as a part of its daily routine, used to go to the nearby ground to relieve itself. We usually collected him by 7am before going for morning walk. On Jan 31, our pet returned in distress. He was vomiting and having loose motions," she said.
The pet dog was taken to the veterinary hospital but died during the treatment. "Our acquaintances told us that one person left poisoned biscuits on the ground to kill stray dogs. When we went to the spot, we found eight strays dead," Ghate said.
Animal rights activist Berryl Sanchis said the act of killing stray dogs by poisoning is the highest form of cruelty towards animals. "We have requested police to track down the culprit. Such incidents will not be tolerated. If people have issues with stray dogs, they have the right to complain to the civic authorities, or us. Killing dogs is inhumane," she said.
The Begampura police registered an offence under the BNS section 325 (crime of killing, maiming, or poisoning animals).