With onset of monsoon in Mumbai, road accidents peak for stray animals

“We have noted a 20 per cent increase in admissions due to road accidents. These are all stray animals that are hit and left to bleed by motorists. We mostly get calls by animal lovers from areas in Parel up till Bandra for rescue,” said retired Lt Col J C Khanna, the hospital’s superintendent.

In a single day, three to four dogs are brought for treatment at the already packed seven-acre hospital that has 150 permanent staffers attached.

On June 23, a five-month-old stray dog was brought from Worli by an animal lover after it was hit by a car. With a fracture in the right femur, it cannot walk right now and will continue to remain admitted for a few more days.

Another puppy, admitted on July 12, suffered swelling and developed a limp in the left leg after being hit by an auto-rickshaw. According to a doctor, dogs may take over a month to recover even in minor injuries such as fracture and bone pining.

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“We release them back when they are fit, but in some serious injuries, the dog may have to stay at the hospital permanently,” said the doctor, a medical student from Bombay Veterinary College.

Moti, an adult Mongrel, has been under treatment at the Parel hospital for four months. An iron rod had to be inserted in one of its forelegs after a road accident. As it drags the left foreleg while limping to the dogs ward, a caretaker has to be present at all times for support.

According to Nilesh Bhanage, founder of Plant and Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), road accident calls have increased from one during summer to over four now in Kalyan-Dombivali area.

“During rains, stray animals find fewer options for shelter. They are driven away from residential buildings where they go to hide. Several stray animals in such cases wander on roads and are hit by vehicles,” he said. At his centre in Murbad, Thane, there are 12 dogs that suffered paralysis after road accidents.

Following heavy rains Tuesday, Bhanage’s team rescued one kitten and three dogs injured in road accident.

Animal welfare organisations claim stray dogs and cats are left to bleed by motorists after accidents in most cases. “Only sometimes passers-by will ensure they call our centre for help. We are receiving 15-20 calls in a day but accidents must be much more in this season,” said Sanjay Jaiswal from Karuna, a bird and animals rescue organisation that operates in Parel and Malad.

With fewer ambulances available for stray animals, delay in treatment often leads to amputation or life long paralysis, according to doctors. In these hospital admissions, a delay of minimum 10-12 hours was observed before the animal could be medically treated.

“We only get injured animals from South Mumbai areas. Beyond Bandra, no one has time to travel and admit an animal, especially those responsible for the accident. With longer distances, a delay in treatment has become inevitable,” added Khanna.

He, however, mentioned that with rising awareness, the calls to save accident hit animals had increased over the last few years.