Coimbatore police to deploy special officers for animal abuse cases

Aiming to ensure protection of animals from cruelty and justice for the abused ones, the Coimbatore City Police has decided to appoint two Animal Welfare Liaison Special Officers in all the police stations in the city.

For sensitising and making the officers aware about animals, they were trained in laws relating to animal welfare. Among those who briefed them included Madras High Court advocates and members of an animal welfare organisation.

Sharing details about this project, S. Thangam, Assistant Commissioner of Police, who is also nodal officer informed that while cases pertaining to animal cruelty are registered regularly, there was a necessity to sensitise officers on the special approach needed to handle such cases.

A large number of the officers do not have the requisite experience in registering such cases under suitable laws, arresting accused, making a water-tight case, and rescuing and treating affected animals. These cases which are registered under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act are handled just like the regular ones.

As per Thangam the project, while addressing these lacunae, will offer immediate legal and medical assistance to the affected animals.

To make it easy for the animal lovers to register complaints about cruelty and abuse, two AWLOs have been assigned for each police station.

Training of the officers was a collaborative effort between the police and Dogs of Coimbatore, a non-governmental association working on animal welfare.