Kerala HC averts 'CATastrophe'; allows petitioner to buy pet food amid lockdown

Petitioner moved HC after police denied him vehicle pass to buy food for his cats

cat-image Representational image | Reuters

In a unique order, the Kerala High Court on Monday allowed a pet owner to step out and buy food for his cats amid the 21-day lockdown. The petitioner, N. Prakash, who has three cats and two kittens, had to approach the high court after the police denied him a vehicle pass to get food for the pets. 

Taking note that "animal feed and fodder" are "essential items", the court said it had to intervene in the case to avert a "CATastrophe" at the petitioner's home. 

Prakash stated that he did not have any other option, but to travel to the Cochin Pet Hospital during the lockdown period to purchase "Meo-Persian" biscuits for his cats. He submitted that he was a pure vegetarian and did not cook non-vegetarian food in his house. "Over the years, the cats have been fed with the Meo-Persian biscuits and they cannot do without them," he told the court. He added that he needed only one packet of 7 kg Meo-Persian biscuits for the rest of the lockdown period. Prakash invoked the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in his petition.

To further substantiate his claims, Prakash also submitted a statement of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in which he urged people to feed stray dogs.

Ruling in favour of Prakash, a division bench of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Shaji P. Chaly allowed the petitioner to travel to the hospital with a self-declaration stating the purpose of his travel. "To inculcate a healthy respect for other living creatures, and to recognise the rights enuring in them, is thus no longer a matter of choice for our citizenry, but a solemn duty under the Constitution that governs us all," the bench observed. 






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