Let veterinarian interact with baby monkey at Vandalur zoo, orders Madras High Court

Veterinarian V. Vallaiappan of Coimbatore and the baby monkey at his residence in Coimbatore before they were separated by the Forest Department officials in October 2024
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Madras High Court on Wednesday (November 6, 2024) decided to let a Coimbatore-based veterinary surgeon interact with a baby monkey that he had taken care of for the last 10 months, but was taken away last month by Forest Department officials and lodged in the Arignar Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur in Chennai.

Passing interim orders on a writ petition seeking interim custody of the animal, Justice C.V. Karthikeyan directed the veterinarian V. Vallaiappan to visit the zoo on Saturday (November 9, 2024) and called for a report from him, as well as the Forest Department officials, regarding their interaction by November 14.

The judge said a decision on the veterinarian’s plea for interim custody would be taken after the receipt of the reports regarding the interaction. The judge told Special Government Pleader T. Srinivasan that the case related to a bond between a human and animal must be handled sensitively.

Taking note of the submission made by the petitioner’s advocate R. Sankarasubbu — that his client had taken care of the monkey from December 4, 2023 to October 26, 2024 after it suffered dog bites — the judge wanted to know whether the infant would be able to recognise the veterinarian as it has been a fortnight since their separation.

He also asked the SGP to place before the court the relevant rules and regulations related to the grant of interim custody of animals to individual caretakers. In his affidavit, the petitioner had claimed to have come across the infant during a dog sterilisation camp in Sholingur Municipality in Ranipet district.

Since the monkey had suffered multiple dog bites and had been partially paralysed below the hip, the veterinarian took custody of the animal and provided necessary medical treatment and nourishment to it. Though the animal had recovered to a great extent, it was yet to become independent, the petitioner said.

He complained that the Forest Department officials separated the animal from him last month and lodged it in the zoological park without due consideration of its welfare.