People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, on Wednesday, reacted to how field staff at a recent IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians removed a dog that had entered the field. Multiple videos circulating on social media depict the animal being chased down and even kicked during the game at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, on March 24.
In a statement, the animal rights organisation “strongly condemned” the incident and urged that field staff be trained on “how to be able to humanely remove dogs” during such situations. PETA India slammed the “reprehensible and 100 per cent unsportsmanlike act of chasing, kicking, and punching a lost and confused dog who inadvertently entered the stadium, likely afraid”.
Agreeing that staff at stadiums and sports venues need training to handle such situations, animal right activist Vidit Sharma, says,“It is disheartening that at an event organised on such a large scale, we lack basic facilities and infrastructure to handle how to treat animals — and the way people are laughing and sharing the videos with laugh emojis. We often see stray cats and dogs entering the field during international football matches but we don’t witness abuse there.”
“A sports field is where one expects to see the best human traits on display. When such incidents have occurred abroad, we have seen it being treated as a lighthearted diversion. In some instances, the dog has actually been adopted by the whole team as a mascot. Kindness and generosity should be natural in such a situation,” says animal rights activist Ambika Shukla.
The video was also shared on X by actor Vedhika, who labelled it “shameful” (inset right). “It seems like it has become a part of our culture to hit, kick and shoo away dogs… (sic),” she wrote.
On March 26, actor Varun Dhawan spoke out against the incident. “Wtf a dog isn’t a football. Also, the dog isn’t biting or harming anyone,” he wrote in his Insta Story.