What a shame it is to hurt innocent, humble animals for the sake of mere fun or to exploit them to satisfy materialistic needs. Mostly, animal abuse cases go unreported as not many people show the courage to stand up for the humble, voiceless animals. Today we are very proud of Vanchana for standing up for an innocent soul who is no more in this cruel world. Earlier this month, a homeless dog was burned alive on the streets of Raipur late at midnight. When everyone was asleep, a poor dog became a victim of the inhuman ways of a heartless, monstrous human. The sheer thought of the incident sends chills down our spines. The case reportedly took place in the Shakti Nagar area where the burnt corpse of the canine was found. We got in touch with Vanchana, a renowned animal rescuer and founder of Lucky Tails, an animal rescue group in the city who handled the case on the ground level. Here’s an exclusive eye-opening interview sharing the details of the horrific incident:

Vanchana, can you please introduce yourself to our readers?

Sure, My name is Vanchana. I have been working full-time as an animal rescuer for almost seven years. My sole purpose in life is to help as many animals as possible. I have worked with various animal welfare organizations in the past. I founded Lucky Tails last year itself, where animal lovers can volunteer to help and rescue homeless animals in need.

That is great to know, your work is indeed commendable. Now, moving forward to the next question.

How did you get to know about this brutal incident and, what was your first reaction?

I got a call from the People For Animal’s (PFA) office. It is a well-known animal protection organization based in Delhi. Someone from Bilaspur reported this incident to them. After my conversation with Minakshi Awasthi Ma’am from PFA Delhi, I decided to visit the crime scene along with our volunteers, Aasma, Jainin, Prasoon, and Ranjan. I was absolutely shocked to know that no one in the city had any idea about this dreadful incident.

What was the situation like at the location of the incident? And what steps did you take at the very beginning?

So, we went there and started investigating on our own around the neighborhood. They understood we will be filing a case, so, they showed no cooperation whatsoever and were not ready to give out any information. But, a construction worker and a nearby resident seemed to know about the incident through a guard who was at night duty. Without any further delay, I got his number. But he was not ready to give any statements. Then we went on to report the incident at the local police station.

How did the authorities respond to your complaint?

Unfortunately, the Assistant Sub-inspector at the local police station was not ready to register the case. He didn’t even pay heed to the other animal welfare organizations involved in the case. Police showed no signs of cooperation or interest in investigating the case. The part where they said they are not appointed to work for any animal. It proved how animal lives are taken for granted in this country. I was very disappointed. But, I am not the kind of person to give up easily. I started finding ways to register the case anyhow.

What other organizations did you get involved in the case?

As the authorities were not ready to help, I contacted PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), a renowned animal welfare organization to seek legal advice.
Then, PETA contacted the Town Inspector of The Police Authorities, who ordered her junior inspector to register the case. So after a lot of trouble, The ASI apologized. And, the case was registered, under IPC sections 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle, animals) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

How is the investigation proceeding right now?

Sadly, none of the witnesses are ready to give a statement. The police tried to question them. But, they are fearful about getting involved in a legal inquiry. Currently, PETA is in touch with them and overseeing the case. There are no leads whatsoever. A little support from the witnesses and a firm attitude of the authorities right from the beginning would have helped us find the culprit. PETA has announced a cash prize of Rs. 50, 000 for anyone who helps find the culprit. It is my sincere request to everyone reading the article, if you have any information regarding the case, kindly contact me.

At last, do you have any message for all our readers?

Don’t take any animal life for granted! Help them as much as you can in your own little ways. If you don’t know where to start, then you can always come forward and support a rescuer or platform with a similar aim. Animal abuse is unjust and inhuman. And you need to stand for the innocent animals and become their voice!

Desiwoof salutes Vanchana and all the other animal lovers and rescuers working day and night to help innocent animals in need. There are ‘n’ number of ways to help animals around you if you have that compassion and empathy within your heart for all the humble creatures who crave nothing but love and peace.