Thane: A lawyer served a legal notice on email to a Thane-based animal welfare organisation, Community for the Protection and Care of Animals (CPCA), after his client was allegedly denied treatment for a critically ill stray dog on August 28. The notice has warned of legal action to prevent such incidents.
Woman Alleges CPCA Denied Timely Entry
According to the notice served by Advocate Prashant Nayak, Reema Jeetsingh Chawla reached the CPCA facility at around 10.30pm with a sick stray that required immediate medical attention. The facility’s gates were allegedly closed and were opened only after Chawla called her friends for help.
The notice accuses the CPCA staff of behaving “indecently and without compassion” towards the ailing animal. It further alleges that a staff member, who was not a veterinarian, declared that the dog was suffering from canine distemper without conducting any diagnostic tests. The staff allegedly refused to admit the dog and even suggested abandoning it back on the road.
The notice also claims that the staff threatened to euthanise the dog if it was not taken back and that a staffer named Mamta, who was not present at the facility during the incident, confirmed the distemper diagnosis over the phone. Chawla stated that the matter was also reported to CPCA’s official Twitter account immediately after the incident.
The notice reads, “Your facility’s conduct is illegal and against established medical practices. Hospitals are bound by law to treat, attend to, and admit stray dogs with compassion and dignity.”
CPCA Denies Negligence, Cites Protocols
When contacted by the FPJ, CPCA denied negligence and said the incident was misrepresented. The organisation clarified that the dog exhibited clinical symptoms of canine distemper virus, a highly contagious disease. It stated that the OPD operates between 10am and 8pm, and senior veterinarians are available only during these hours. The dog was attended by a para-veterinary professional, following standard protocol, but admission was denied as the isolation ward was full.
CPCA cited the Animal Welfare Board of India circular dated July 12, 2018, which prohibits overcrowding of animals to maintain their welfare. The organisation claimed it suggested finding alternative shelters for the dog and emphasised that space constraints are common across all welfare facilities.
CPCA Says Chawla Skipped Admission Formalities
The response further alleged that Chawla left the dog at the facility without completing mandatory admission formalities or providing any medical history. CPCA claimed it later lost track of the dog’s whereabouts but has continued treatment efforts and maintained email updates to Nayak, sharing the dog’s condition and lab reports.
The organisation reiterated its commitment to ethical and regulatory standards, stating that canine distemper tests are not confirmatory; hence, clinical correlation is always required. However, Nayak has provided the FPJ with a medical report that the canine tested negative for canine distemper.
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