The latest rescue of 11 Shih Tzu pets from an illegal breeder in Bengaluru is part of a much larger problem, say animal welfare activists.
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Sanjana Narendra still retches when she recollects the sickening stench that assailed her nostrils the moment she stepped into the dark and squalid shed in Doddakallasandra, Konanakunte, where dogs used to be bred illegally. “Windows or vents for adequate ventilation are solely decorations in pre-1970s antiquated structures,” shares the director of Shwana Foundation, a city-based NGO that works for the welfare of puppies.
Five dogs were taken from a small apartment in Koramangala, where the owner was an illegal dog breeder. Sprinkled across the news and reported on social media, 11 Shih Tzus were already traded from 20; it was very hard to obtain other pets. Narendra is open about the rescue mission on 16 October 2024: ‘That very day we rescued them, they were trembling against the chilly, cold air. They appeared to be rather sick. The doctors in the veterinary examination indicated that they had probably lost approximately 10 % to 20 % of vision and some other medical issues because of ticking fever. They were also highly anemic.’