Veterinarian moves Madras High Court seeking custody of baby monkey

Says he had taken care of the bonnet macaque, which had suffered dog bites, for the last 10 months and ensured its recovery to a great extent

A veterinary surgeon has approached the Madras High Court seeking interim custody of a monkey that he had treated and taken care of since it landed in his hands as an infant, suffering from multiple health complications due to stray dog bites, in October 2023.

In an affidavit filed in support of his writ petition, the veterinarian V. Vallaiappan of Coimbatore said he was associated with a Madurai-based animal welfare organisation named Prani Mithran, which had been offering free veterinary services across Tamil Nadu since 2003.

Stating that he had served as an honorary animal welfare officer with the Animal Welfare Board of India, the petitioner said he had been a part of the Jallikattu inspection committee constituted on the directions of the Supreme Court and served as a member of many other reputed organisations.

On December 4, 2023, he had been to Sholinghur Municipality in Ranipet district for a dog sterilisation camp where a forest guard brought a hardly two-month-old bonnet macaque to him. The infant had been bitten by a community dog with symptoms of rabies.

The infant weighed approximately 200 g, and on examination, the doctor found it had suffered multiple dog bites and had been paralysed below the hip. The animal could not control its excretion and its skin was dry and dehydrated. The petitioner, therefore, took the infant under his care.

After 10 months of personal care, the monkey showed great signs of recovery but it was still dependent on him for feeding, sleeping, and excretion. The Forest Department officials, however, took the animal away from him on October 26, 2024, and lodged it at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur in Chennai, the petitioner said.

Filing a detailed affidavit through his counsel K. Kesavan, the petitioner said he had given a representation to the Forest Department officials on October 28, 2024, seeking interim custody of the animal for a few more months so that the infant could recover totally and would be able to survive independently.

Fearing that the monkey might fall ill again, the petitioner told the court that he would file periodical reports about its progress and also produce the animal before the Forest Department officials whenever required, if he was given interim custody and allowed to provide necessary care and protection.

“The infant might eat for its hunger but eating for its nourishment cannot be assured... Having been with the animal for more than 10 months... the coordination between me and the animal should be considered in the interest of its welfare... My appeal is purely of selfless intention,” the petitioner added.

Published - November 05, 2024 03:51 pm IST