Rescuing animals has become an expensive affair for animal lovers

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*Paisa phenko, jaan bachao *

 

*Rescuing animals has become an expensive affair for animal lovers with

fire department officials in Kalyan and Dombivli charging Rs 150 as fees for

their services*

 

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On **Monday, July 23, 2007** *

 

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*Yogesh* Sadhwani

 

The next time you see an animal in distress and feel the urge to call up the

fire brigade, be prepared to shell out money for their efforts.

 

Nilesh Bhanage, an animal lover staying in Dombivli, was in for a rude shock

when he dialled the local fire brigade office to inform them about a badly

injured owl stuck atop a tree that was being attacked by other birds. He was

told that he would have to pay the department Rs 150 for the job for which

he would get a receipt. Unable to pay up, he told the officials not to

bother. Hours later, he somehow rescued the bird on his own.

 

Animal lovers say incidents of animals getting into trouble are very common

in Kalyan and Dombivli these days. While Bhanage could rescue the bird,

there are many other cases where the animals have been left alone by the

residents to fend for themselves. This is primarily because residents do not

want to pay from their own pockets to rescue stray birds and animals stuck

on trees or trapped in gutters and drains.

 

" How do they expect us to pay for rescuing strays? Isn't it their job? The

other day, I called up the fire brigade after I spotted an injured bird

stuck in the grill of one of the unused houses in my area. But when I was

asked to pay up, I told them not to bother. I was shocked by their

response, " exclaimed Ashish Somani, a resident of Kalyan (west).

 

He left the bird alone. " I sincerely wanted to help, which is why I called

the fire brigade. But I just cannot afford to blow up my hard-earned money

like this, " added Somani.

 

Madhavi Devang, a resident of Dombivli east, also got a similar response

when she called up the fire brigade to help a kitten trapped atop a tree.

 

" It was being attacked by crows. But when the fire officials said I would

have to pay, I reluctantly agreed. Fortunately, before the fire officials

could do anything to help, the kitten jumped down. But now I know never to

call up them up for help in such cases, " said Devang.

 

This move by the fire brigade has irked many animal lovers who feel that it

is unjust to pay for rescuing stray animals and birds.

 

" We spend heavily on treating such animals anyway. Now if we have to start

paying for their rescue as well, I think it will be impossible for us to

carry on, " said Bhanage, who is also the general secretary of Plant and

Animal Welfare Society.

 

The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), on its part, justifies the

decision. Officials said they collect Rs 150 for rescuing animals and give a

receipt for the amount.

 

" It is a decision ratified by our general body and there is nothing illegal

about it. It's not as if our men are pocketing the money, " said Dilip Gund,

chief fire officer, KDMC.

 

 

--

Nilesh Bhanage

+91 9820161114

www.pawsasia.org