Islamabad Zoo has been subject to various complaints regarding how animals were kept. Many people and activists took to social media and shared pictures of the animals kept in distressing and painful conditions.
Only last month an awareness campaign ensued wherein, poor conditions of the animals including the elephant, crocodiles and Himalayan brown bears was showcased.
As of now, the decision has been taken to free animals from the deplorable conditions and send to a suitable sanctuary. The most neglected, Kaavan, the elephant will be released to a sanctuary in Srilanka. Besides him, all other animals will also be released to respective sanctuaries.
Pertaining to Kaavan’s conditions, even the music icon Cher ensued a full fledge high profile campaign to release him. After the Islamabad High Court’s decision, the Singer tweeted:
THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.
— Cher (@cher) May 21, 2020
CANT STOP😭,🥰,BEING SICK 2 MY STOMACH.(Ate🎂in The night & Was SOOOO Sick,Still am.Can you O.D from too much🎂)⁉️
BUT🐘KAAVAN IS FREE🙏🏻
😭DOWN MY CHEEKS,BUT HES FREE,& @markcowne 🕊DID IT🙌🏻.GINA,👑JEN👑👏🏻
Kaavan was treated neglectfully for the past three decades in the zoo. His health and overall well being has been severely affected. There were no adequate facilities available and the condition he was kept in, was beyond comprehension. Regarding this the Chief Justice Minallah says:
Neither there are adequate facilities nor resources to provide living conditions that would meet the behavioural, social and physiological needs of the animals,”
