2 staffers punch, kick dog at Thane pet clinic; booked
A non-cognizable offense was registered against two employees of Vetic pet clinic in Manpada, Thane on Wednesday, after a video went viral showing one of them assaulting a dog. According to reports, Thane Municipal Corporation Veterinary Officer Dr. Kshama Shirodkar approached the police to file a formal complaint. The two staffers face charges under Section 11 (1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
Manpada outlet shut after viral video
Police said the incident occurred nearly a week ago, but the video went viral recently. The dog, which was left at Vetic clinic by its owner, has been relocated to PetAshram, a dog boarding center in Waghbil, for recovery. Vetic, which claims to be India's premier tech-driven pet clinic, operates branches in six cities, including Gurgaon, Noida, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Following the incident, the Manpada outlet remained shut, while the clinic has apologized for the incident.
Vetic fires employees, apologizes for incident
According to reports, the clinic has fired both employees and initiated a formal investigation. The clinic has also extended apologies to its customers and animal rights activists for the incident. A Vetic spokesperson said, "We understand the trust you place in us when you choose Vetic for your furry baby's care, and we are committed to upholding that trust with the highest standards of compassion and professionalism."
Efforts on to trace pet owners
Police has said that efforts are underway to trace and contact the pet owners through animal activists to obtain their statement. Animal lover Nilesh Bhanage, who is also founder of NGO PAWS, told the Indian Express, "It appears that parents of the dog had gone out of station for a wedding and kept their dog at the clinic during which the incident took place."
Animal lovers, celebrities condemn the act
According to reports, the two employees, Mayur Michael Aadhav (19) and Prashant Sanjay Gaikwad (20) are in police custody. As per the provisions, the animal cruelty penalities are mild, with fines ranging from Rs. 10 to Rs. 50 for the first offense and Rs. 25 to Rs. 100 or up to three months' imprisonment for subsequent offenses. Meanwhile, animal lovers, celebrities, and politicians, including Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray and actor Mallaika Arora Khan, have condemned the act.
