Madras HC allows veterinarian to visit infant monkey he cared for ten months

Chennai, Nov 6 : The Madras High Court on Wednesday granted permission to Coimbatore-based veterinary surgeon, V. Valliappan, to meet an infant monkey he rescued and cared for over ten months after it sustained injuries from a stray dog attack.

This directive was issued as part of an interim order on a writ petition filed by Valliappan earlier this week.

A single-judge bench of Justice C.V. Karthikeyan directed Valliappan to visit the Arihant Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur, Chennai, on Saturday and submit a report on the interaction.

The bench also instructed Tamil Nadu Forest Department officials to observe the interaction between Valliappan and the baby monkey and submit a report by November 14.

A decision regarding Valliappan’s plea for interim custody of the monkey will be made after the reports are reviewed.

Addressing Special Government Pleader T. Srinivasan, Justice Karthikeyan emphasised that cases involving human-animal bonds require sensitive handling. The judge expressed an interest in knowing whether the monkey would still recognise Valliappan, as it had been two weeks since their separation.

This comment was in response to the petitioner’s lawyer, R. Sankarasubbu, who argued that Valliappan had looked after the monkey from December 4, 2023, to October 26, 2024.

Justice Karthikeyan also requested that the government pleader provide the court with relevant rules and regulations concerning the granting of interim custody of animals to individual caretakers.

In his affidavit, Valliappan recounted how he first encountered the injured infant monkey during a dog sterilisation camp in Sholingur Municipality of Ranipet district.

The monkey had multiple dog bite injuries and was partially paralysed below the hip. Since then, he provided extensive treatment and nourishment, but the animal was taken from him on October 26 and transferred to the zoological park.

Valliappan, who initially requested interim custody of the monkey on October 28, stated that the animal still requires additional care to achieve full independence. He argued that, while the monkey might eat out of hunger, it may not be able to ensure adequate nourishment on its own.

Citing the bond he developed with the animal over months of caregiving, he expressed concern that it could fall ill again without his supervision. The veterinarian assured the court he would submit regular updates on the monkey’s health if granted temporary custody and would allow Forest Department inspections as necessary.

Valliappan is affiliated with Prani Mithran, an animal welfare organisation based in Madurai that offers free veterinary services throughout Tamil Nadu.