13 March,2011 07:13 AM IST | | Arvind Walmiki
More than 40 goats have gone missing in Garib Nagar after the fire, while 38 have suffered severe burns, report vets who led a rescue mission
In a fire that ravaged over 2,000 shanties on March 4 in Garib Nagar, Bandra East, no one paid attention to the plight of goats who were trapped in the inferno. More than 10 goats are reported to have died in the fire, and 108 have undergone treatment for burn injuries and respiratory problems.
The BSPCA team treats a kid injured in the Garib Nagar fire.
Pic/ Prathik Panchamia
Dr Santosh Terse, a veterinarian from The Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals (BSPCA), who led the rescue operation for the trapped and injured animals said, "Sunday was the worst day, as residents were busy collecting their belongings. Many animals died as a result of the delay in rescue operations."
The BSPCA rescued 175 goats and distributed free medicines and fodder to the animals. Most of the animals have been returned to their owners, while two are still admitted at the BSPCA hospital in Parel.
"We had a tough time convincing the residents to cooperate with us in locatingu00a0 the trapped animals. Once we convinced them that they would be rewarded, they began to help us," Terse added.
However, Terse wasn't too pleased at the nature of 'help' his team received. Instead of helping them, the residents began fighting among themselves, claiming they were the owners. "Many did this to claim compensation that we had promised."
Nearly 40 goats have been reported lost due to the fire.u00a0Animal owner Raziya told Sunday MiD DAY, "Thank God all my four goats are alive. But we have lost everything in the fire and we are not able to feed them. We have borrowed green grass for them to eat."
Chand Shaikh, another resident of Garib Nagar lost all his animals in the fire. "We are living in the same shelter where we had kept our animals, after our hut was burnt down."
