In this day and age, masks have become a necessity, pertinent to break the chain of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, however, no mechanism or guidelines have been put in place ensuring the proper and responsible disposal of masks. In the absence of guidelines, there is no accountability on discarding the masks carelessly.
IFS officer Supriya Sahu took to her Twitter to post a video of vets removing a mask from a dogs stomach highlighting the reckless disposal of masks by people. With the video, she also advised people to ensure safe disposal of their masks, The masks we carelessly throw away can end up killing animals. A team of veterinarians from TN (Tamil Nadu) University of Veterinary and animal sciences at Chennai successfully removed a face mask from the stomach of a Siberian Husky dog. Please ensure safe disposal.
India has previously witnessed and recorded many incidents of stray animals consuming hazardous substances, such as polythene. Prior instances should be taken as the guiding forces commanding responsible behaviour.
