(IN-Mumbai) Left to die

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Left to die

 

Two Great Danes belonging to Danabhai Jewellers found starving and suffering

from maggot wounds

 

By Alpita Masurkar

 

Posted On Friday, April 24, 2009 at 02:22:13 AM

 

On Thursday, two Great Danes in extremely weak and maggot-ridden condition

were rescued from Danabhai Jewellers in Santacruz (W) by an NGO. Until about

10 days ago, the jewellery store had four Great Danes and a German Shepherd

to guard their showroom. Store owner Vasant Danabhai claimed two of the five

pedigree dogs had been taken away by unknown persons, and one had been

poisoned to death.

 

Following a complaint from Aditya Nair - a media professional who travels to

Santacruz for work every day - members of the animal welfare organisation,

In Defence of Animals descended on the store.

 

" I would see the five dogs every day. Last week, I saw only three dogs in

the lawn outside the store. One had maggot wounds on its back. The caretaker

told me that a woman comes to apply medicine on the wound. But when I went

there again a couple of days ago, I found that the dog had disappeared. When

I inquired, the owner told me a Parsi man had taken it away, " Nair said.

 

On further inquiries, Nair was told by the owner that " one of the dogs was

poisoned and had died in hospital. "

 

Another resident of the area, Shraddha Mehta, also saw the dogs every day

and confirmed that they were never kept properly.

 

" The dogs were always neglected, never fed well. I pass the jewellery store

every day. When I noticed that the female Great Dane was reduced to a bag of

bones and had injuries on her body, I bought her some chicken kebabs. She

just devoured them, " said Nilanjana Nag, who also lives in Santacruz.

 

When In Defence of Animals, an NGO, went to Danabhai Jewellers in Santacruz

(W), they found maggot wounds on both dogs. The dogs have now been taken to

the animal hospital in Parel

 

Another resident, Divyesh Shah has had a bad experience with the dogs due to

the negligence of the owners.

 

" I was bitten by one of the dogs on my lower back some months ago. The

animals are neglected and the owner has not really paid any attention to

them, " Shah said.

 

Danabhai, when approached by Mumbai Mirror, didn't seem too sure whether his

dog was poisoned, or if they suffered from food poisoning.

 

He said a Parsi man had approached him and said one of the dogs needed

treatment for its maggot-infested wounds.

 

" I thought he was a doctor and let him take the dog away. I have no details

about him, though, " Danabhai added.

 

Fizzah Shah, president of IDA said Danabhai Jewellers had no licences or

proof of vaccination administered to any of the dogs. IDA has now lodged a

police complaint for ill treatment of the dogs.

 

" It is appalling. Moreover, the owners did not object when I put those dogs

in an ambulance and took them away. They only protested when I said I was

lodging a police complaint, " Shah said.

 

Danabhai has now given it in writing that they would pay for the medical

expenses of the dogs and take care of them.