Madras HC allows doctor to meet paralysed infant monkey he saved from rabies death

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (MHC) allowed a veterinarian from Coimbatore to meet an infant monkey at Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, which he saved from stray dog bites and took personal care.

Justice CV Karthikeyan directed the Arignar Anna Zoological Park authorities to allow the petitioner to meet the infant monkey and file a report whether the monkey can recognise him or not.

The judge allowed the petitioner to meet the monkey on November 9 at 11 am.

The matter was posted to November 14 for further submission.

V Vallaiappan, Coimbatore based veterinarian moved the petition stating that for the past 10 months he had taken care of the monkey and treated  the dog bite injuries, which it suffered badly.

Followed by the utmost care and treatment the monkey recovered from the injuries, since it is a baby monkey it depends others for food and shelter, until it is capable to survive on its own, said the petitioner. 

However, the forest department took away the monkey from him and transferred to Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, said the petitioner.

He also submitted that the baby monkey needs personal care to cure completely and it needs proper nourishment to recover, said the petitioner and sought the court to grant interim custody of the monkey.

In December last year, when the petitioner deputed at Ranipet for a special camp, a forest officer brought the infant monkey which had badly injured by the stray dog bites with rabies.

The monkey was not able to move or excrete on its own, as it paralaysed below the hip due to the deadly attack of the stray dogs, said the petitioner.

Since, the monkey looked weak and fragile the petitioner took personal care of the baby monkey for the past ten months.