Holding that the human-animal bond must be handled sensitively, Madras High Court on Wednesday permitted a veterinary surgeon to interact with a baby monkey he had treated for dog bite but forcibly lodged in the Zoo at Vandalur in Chennai by the Forest Department, to ascertain whether the mammal required further medical care from him.

The Coimbatore based veterinarian, V Vallaippan, had submitted in his writ petition that he had rescued the monkey cub which sustained multiple dog bites during a canine sterilisation camp at Sholingur in Ranipet District in December last. He had treated it till this October 26, but the Forest Department personnel had taken it away even before the animal could recover fully. He further submitted that the cub, which was partially paralysed below the hip due to the dog bites, is yet to be independent and required his care till its full recovery.

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The petitioner further said that the Forest Department officials, without realizing the situation of the cub, had forcibly taken it away and put it up at the Zoo in Chennai and prayed for its custody.

With the veterinarian maintaining that he is a caregiver and had nourished the cub, Justice CV Karthikeyan, wanted to know whether the cub could identify and recognise him since two weeks have passed since the separation. To ascertain this, the Judge passed interim orders directing him to visit the Arignar Anna Zoological Park on October 9. Both the veterinarian and the Forest Department were ordered to submit a report on his interaction with the baby monkey. A decision on the petitioner’s prayer would be taken based on the reports. On whether individual caretakers could be granted custody of animals, the Judge directed the Special Government Pleader to place before the court relevant rules and regulations.