The pup was teething and had chewed up the owner Phillip Maxwell's laptop cable.
It’s very simple. If you can’t be bothered to treat a pet as a family member, don’t bring one home.
And this is something people like Phillip Maxwell, a resident of Sector 42, Gurgaon, should bear in mind. They should also know that hurting or injuring an animal is punishable by law.
On the night of June 13, Maxwell, owner of a four-month-old pup, flung the animal out from his first-floor balcony.
The pup’s mistake? It was teething and had chewed up Maxwell’s laptop charging cable.
The wails of the pup, which was found lying in a bush, were heard around 11 pm by Arvind Kumar Verma, an IT professional living nearby.
"I was washing clothes when I heard a sound like something being thrown out. I rushed out and saw to my horror it was a puppy," said Verma. "A few construction workers near my building helped me locate the pup, but it was petrified and in pain, and didn't let me touch it. About 15 minutes later, it crawled out on its own. It was only then that I could make out the extent of its injuries. It was in excruciating pain."
According to Verma, Maxwell and his wife, Dora Shlem, soon reached the spot. On enquiring why the pup was thrown out, Maxwell left without providing an adequate explanation. "Shlem promised she would take care of the pup, but I convinced her to take the pup to the vet for proper treatment. Both of us took the dog to the CGS hospital in DLF Phase 3," Verma added.
The pup now awaits surgery for multiple fractures.
Speaking to City Spidey, Amit Chaudhery, president of People For Animals, Gurgaon, denounced it as a “despicable case of animal cruelty”. “It reveals an evil, cruel and sadistic mentality in society. Cruelty to animals is indicative of pathological crime, which may extend to human victims in time. We will ensure this man is prosecuted,” Chaudhery said.
Deepak Saharan, DCP East, said, “No FIR has been filed in the case yet. As soon as an FIR is lodged, we will take legal action.”
As per Section 11 and Section 38J of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, there is a fine along with three months’ imprisonment for such offences. Under Section 428, 429 and 511 of the Indian Penal Code, the accused, if found guilty, can be subjected to imprisonment of up to five years.
