In a ghastly case of suspected dog meat trade, two people were apprehended by members of the Dorbar Shnong Laitkor Mawrie while attempting to transport four dead dogs.
Youth from the locality had apprehended a person from Laitkor Rngi along with the four dead dogs while trying to transport them in a taxi on Monday, the Rangbah Shnong of Laitkor Mawrie, Phorkly Kharshiing, told Highland Post today.
“On inquiry we learnt that the culprits had stolen three dogs from one compound while the other is from another house in the locality. We handed over the culprit and the taxi driver to the police,” Kharshiing said, adding that one more suspect had managed to escape. “The culprit told us that he was hired to kill the dogs by the person who fled and did not reveal more than that.”
The arrestees are lodged at the Youth Hostel while their Covid-19 tests reports are pending and will be taken into custody for investigation after that, Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said.
He believes that the dogs were meant to be sold for meat in the Happy Valley area.
“We have directed the local police to investigate about this place in Happy Valley where dog meat is sold secretly and we will find out everything once the culprits are taken into custody for investigation,” he added.
Although the dead dogs are not believed to be strays, many stray dogs face a harrowing time living on the streets and President of the People for Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Shillong, Anjali Paul, said that it is heartbreaking to see the strays of Shillong reducing in number day by day.
“The strays which have been our locality alarms for generations by protecting our homes and have helped us catch burglars are disappearing from the streets. Not because they are being adopted but because they are being traded for dog meat,” she said.
NGOs like hers are not able to be physically present in every corner of the city but are doing their best to spread awareness and help strays as much as possible, Paul maintained.
“They (the dogs) cannot speak for themselves, so we need to be their voice and give them justice. We need people to be a little more aware and to think about these poor animals on the streets,” she said, urging anyone who witnesses instances of cruelty to report it to their nearest police station or NGO.
