Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala):A cat-owner has filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Court, challenging the refusal by Kerala police to issue vehicle pass for buying pet-food amid the lockdown.
The petitioner, N Prakash, an owner of three cats, is aggrieved by the decision of the police to refuse him vehicle pass for purchasing cat food.
In the petition, he stated that he feeds his cats with a biscuit named "Meo-Persian" as he is a vegetarian and non-vegetarian food is not cooked in his house. One packet of 7 kilograms of "Meo Persian" is sufficient for the cats for three weeks.
He mentioned that after the stock got exhausted, he applied online for vehicle pass for travelling to Cochin Pet Hospital on April 4 for buying the cat food.
According to guidelines, a prior permit based on an affidavit is required for anyone to go out of their homes for essential services during the lockdown period.
However, after his request was rejected by the police, the petitioner challenged the decision as "arbitrary and illegal".
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"The sad plight of the cats in the event of non-availability of the food ought to have been taken note of by the authority under the respondents and ought to have permitted the petitioner to travel to the Cochin Pet Hospital, Kadavanthara for purchasing the cat food. The rejection of the request made by the petitioner in this regard is high handed and arbitrary," the petition states.
The petitioner stated that right to get food and shelter is a guaranteed right for domesticated animals under Sections 3 and 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Pertinently, the Ministry of Home Affairs had clarified that "animal feed and fodder" is an essential item, for which movement is permissible during the 21-day lockdown period.
(With inputs from ANI)
