Madras HC allows doctor to meet paralysed infant monkey he saved from rabies death
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.
Madras High Court
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court allowed a Coimbatore-based veterinarian to meet an infant monkey, which was paralysed below the waist after being bitten by a rabies-infected stray dog. The monkey, which he saved from death and looked after for 10 months, is now at Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur.
Hearing the petition moved by V Vallaiappan, Justice CV Karthikeyan directed the zoo authorities to allow him to meet the infant monkey and file a report on whether or not the monkey can recognise him. The veterinarian can meet the monkey at 11 am on November 9, the judge said and posted the matter to November 14 for further submission.
In the petition seeking the custody of the monkey, Vallaiappan said it was a baby monkey and hence dependent on others for food and shelter until it was capable of surviving on its own.
When he was deputed for a special camp in Ranipet last December, a forest officer brought the infant monkey which was badly injured after being mauled by stray dogs that had rabies, to the doctor.
Paralysed below the hip due to the attack, the baby monkey was not able to move or even excrete on its own, Valliappan said, and added that he took personal care of it for the past 10 months
However, the Forest Department officials took it away from him and transferred it to Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur.