<p>The CCTV footage of a domestic worker swinging a Chihuahua to death in an apartment lift has brought the spotlight back on animal cruelty. While such extreme cases are rare, animal rights activists say such abuse often stems from anger and frustration.</p><p>Pushpalatha allegedly killed Goofy, one of two Chihuahuas she was employed to look after by Bellahalli resident Rashika. On October 31, she thrashed Goofy against the lift floor after taking it for a walk. After reviewing the CCTV footage, Rashika filed a complaint at the Bagalur police station. “We will submit the chargesheet at the court next week,” a police official told Metrolife.</p><p><strong>Other cases</strong></p><p>Sandhya Madappa, trustee of Second Chance Sanctuary, recalls cases where spouses, amid marital disputes, attacked their partner’s pets. She also spoke of dogs neglected due to financial stress.</p><p>The sanctuary handled over 350 cruelty cases in 2024. This year, the number stands at 200 so far. “Around 40% involve pet dogs, another 40% breeder dogs, and 20% strays,” says Sandhya.</p><p>Common cases of cruelty by pet owners include tying dogs on short leashes or confining them to terraces without shade or water. Breeder dogs are often “kept in dark, filthy spaces, fed just enough to survive, and dumped once sick”. </p><p>“Some cases are resolved through counselling, but in serious ones, we confiscate the animals. Last year alone, we rescued about 30 dogs — including one locked inside a car for months,” says Sandhya.</p>.Bengaluru city corporations start implementing Supreme Court relocation directive on stray dogs.<p><strong>Low convictions</strong></p>.<p>While convictions in many complaints are still pending, a few have led to key legal outcomes. In a 2023 case, a street dog found hanged led to the accused being fined Rs 10,000 and sentenced to a month in prison, <br>recalls advocate Alwyn Sebastian, who works with the CUPA-supported animal cruelty cell.</p>.<p>A Karnataka high court ruling from a few years ago stated that “an accused person cannot retain custody of an abused animal during an investigation”. “We have relied on that order in several cases to confiscate abused dogs and place them under NGO care,” says Sebastian. The cell received nearly 200 cruelty-related complaints this year.</p>.<p>Animal welfare warden Aniruddha Ravindra handled about 650 cruelty-related calls in 2024 and over 300 this year. He categorises cruelty as either active or passive. “Of the cases handled, 60% involved illegal relocation of strays by residents or associations, and 20% neglect of pets,” he says.</p>.<p><strong>Slower justice</strong></p>.<p>Animal cruelty cases are usually filed under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), says Sebastian. But enforcement remains weak. “Unless BNS 325 is invoked, police often file only a non-cognisable report, which carries little weight,” he says.</p>
<p>The CCTV footage of a domestic worker swinging a Chihuahua to death in an apartment lift has brought the spotlight back on animal cruelty. While such extreme cases are rare, animal rights activists say such abuse often stems from anger and frustration.</p><p>Pushpalatha allegedly killed Goofy, one of two Chihuahuas she was employed to look after by Bellahalli resident Rashika. On October 31, she thrashed Goofy against the lift floor after taking it for a walk. After reviewing the CCTV footage, Rashika filed a complaint at the Bagalur police station. “We will submit the chargesheet at the court next week,” a police official told Metrolife.</p><p><strong>Other cases</strong></p><p>Sandhya Madappa, trustee of Second Chance Sanctuary, recalls cases where spouses, amid marital disputes, attacked their partner’s pets. She also spoke of dogs neglected due to financial stress.</p><p>The sanctuary handled over 350 cruelty cases in 2024. This year, the number stands at 200 so far. “Around 40% involve pet dogs, another 40% breeder dogs, and 20% strays,” says Sandhya.</p><p>Common cases of cruelty by pet owners include tying dogs on short leashes or confining them to terraces without shade or water. Breeder dogs are often “kept in dark, filthy spaces, fed just enough to survive, and dumped once sick”. </p><p>“Some cases are resolved through counselling, but in serious ones, we confiscate the animals. Last year alone, we rescued about 30 dogs — including one locked inside a car for months,” says Sandhya.</p>.Bengaluru city corporations start implementing Supreme Court relocation directive on stray dogs.<p><strong>Low convictions</strong></p>.<p>While convictions in many complaints are still pending, a few have led to key legal outcomes. In a 2023 case, a street dog found hanged led to the accused being fined Rs 10,000 and sentenced to a month in prison, <br>recalls advocate Alwyn Sebastian, who works with the CUPA-supported animal cruelty cell.</p>.<p>A Karnataka high court ruling from a few years ago stated that “an accused person cannot retain custody of an abused animal during an investigation”. “We have relied on that order in several cases to confiscate abused dogs and place them under NGO care,” says Sebastian. The cell received nearly 200 cruelty-related complaints this year.</p>.<p>Animal welfare warden Aniruddha Ravindra handled about 650 cruelty-related calls in 2024 and over 300 this year. He categorises cruelty as either active or passive. “Of the cases handled, 60% involved illegal relocation of strays by residents or associations, and 20% neglect of pets,” he says.</p>.<p><strong>Slower justice</strong></p>.<p>Animal cruelty cases are usually filed under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), says Sebastian. But enforcement remains weak. “Unless BNS 325 is invoked, police often file only a non-cognisable report, which carries little weight,” he says.</p>