Cat tragedy and Tale Of Justice

Last month a video was highly circulated across all the social media platforms. The heart-wrenching video of a cat who passed away due to the negligence of the staff of a government veterinary hospital. Ground Report did an exclusive story on that video and the owner a young girl who previously had not revealed much about herself got in conversation with Ground Report to talk more about the incident. And now over the course of the past one month, there were several developments in the case.

The owner Faiqa Riyaz got in a conversation with Ground Report again and shared how things unfolded and how she was able to bring justice to her beloved cat.

Faiqa told Ground Report that after the video went viral and the district administration and several organisations got involved, an enquiry committee was formed in the said hospital to look more carefully into the incident.

"After confessing the whole incident, they accepted their negligence and came up with compensation, but I firmly told them that I wanted justice and I wanted it in written, so that it makes a little change for other street animals who are deprived of their health care rights and made to go through miserable conditions," she said.

She put forward her demands it was not met with a positive response. Later, she sent e-mails to animal welfare organisations about the justice and in a swift action taken by PFA they got her connected to Director AHD Ms Purnima  Mittal who assured her that the incident will be reviewed and justice will be served.

 "The next day, the chief officer of veterinary of the district called me and I gave him all the details. He assured us of all the necessary measures will be taken and also promised us that all our demands for justice will be met with. He also assured them that a separate OPD with more sophisticated facilities will be opened. Since that incident happened, it was made compulsory for the staff there, to send their weekly report to keep a check on their performance. "He assured us that changes will be made for sure," she said.

Some days after the meeting an official document was sent through the mail, maintaining that the cat was severely dehydrated and was given IV/SC fluids that however could not revive the cat, and it lost its life while undergoing the treatment. The investigation officer also reported that the entire staff at DVH has been strictly directed to be compassionate towards the owners and their pets as a result of this incident.

The mail read, "In view of the aforesaid statement of facts the behaviour of the staff is not public friendly, accordingly a stern warning is administered on _vets,  veterinary assistant surgeons along with the paravet staff posted at veterinary campus Anantnag. To remain careful in future and pay due care while treating the patients at the hospital, failing which strict disciplinary action,  as warranted under rules, shall be initiated against the defaulters."

During this whole trial for justice, Faiqa was accompanied by her friend Beenish Shabir and thus remained determined and undeterred. She however also said, "Sometimes we do felt we are just roaming from one door to another without any fruitful results but we did not give up and stood for the truth, for the voiceless and against the wrong with hope in Allah because when you are on the side of haq God knows how to make a way for you. Now I feel happy at least my cat got justice. Nothing can fill the void but it brings peace to me after knowing that izzu (cat name) made the change at the district hospital and I hope other animals will be provided proper health care rights."

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