PETA India Honours Pune Firefighters for Saving the Lives of 10 Cats Caught in a Fire
For Immediate Release:
3 February 2022
Contact:
Hiraj Laljani; [email protected]
Sanskriti Bansore; [email protected]
Pune – A Hero to Animals Award is on its way from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India to the fire brigade of Pune’s Central Fire Station to thank the firefighters for heroically risking their lives on Friday night to rescue 10 cats who were stuck inside a burning flat in a building located on a lane near the Urdu school in Ghorpade Peth.
A copy of the award is available for download upon request.
The cats belong to a resident of the Shanti Niwas Society, where the fire broke out. During the firefighting operation, he informed the fire brigade that cats were inside the flat, from which smoke was streaming. The firefighters moved quickly, rushing to the scene and rescuing all the felines. In a video shared by Asia News International, people can be heard thanking the firefighters.
“By rescuing cats who were no doubt panicking and getting them to safety, the fire brigade averted a catastrophe, and this award is a token of appreciation for their valiant display of courage and extension of compassion to animals,” says PETA India CEO Dr Manilal Valliyate. “However, these cats are Persians, meaning they are victims of the pet trade, in which females are exploited as breeding machines and kittens are separated from their mothers a few days after birth. PETA India is asking the breeder to have a heart and sterilise these dear cats, as we condemn breeding and urge people to adopt from rescue shelters rather than buying animals and to look out for cats on the street who need care.”
PETA India notes that every time someone buys a “purebred” dog or cat from a breeder or pet store or online, a dog or cat in need waiting in an animal shelter loses a chance at finding a home. Breeders and pet stores often sell animals to anyone willing to buy them, no matter their ability to care for the animals and whether they would treat them as companions or commodities. PETA India advocates for adoption and urges guardians to have their animal companions sterilised so that those who have already been born have the best chance at a good home and a good life.
PETA India – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way” – opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. To report cruelty to animals or emergencies involving them, the public can call PETA India on (0) 98201 22602. For more information, please visit PETAIndia.com or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
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