IMPHAL: People for Animals (PFA) Manipur volunteers have rescued seven local dogs from the possession of a woman, who brought them from the border town of Moreh to Imphal for selling to butchers.The illegal trader - Vahneichong Lhangal from Senapati district along with Jangkhogen Mate, the driver of a passenger van in which the dogs were brought - were fined by an Imphal court under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act on Thursday."Soon after we received information about seven dogs being brought to Imphal in a van from Moreh town for consumption purpose on the day before yesterday, our volunteers remained vigil at Lilong area along the Imphal-Moreh route to rescue the dogs," PFA Manipur managing trustee L Biswajeet Meitei told TOI on Friday.After chasing for a while, the van was stopped at Minuthong area in Imphal city around 3 pm and before long Vahneichong and the van driver and the dogs were handed over to Imphal West police station.The hapless dogs were found mercilessly fastened tightly on their legs and mouths by steel binding wires. Some of them got injured by the tight bindings, he said. He added that the pitiful animals were administered first aid at the PFA's animal shelter home in Thoubal district headquarters.On Thursday, the two accused, who were kept at the police station the previous night, were produced before the chief judicial magistrate (Imphal West).After imposing fines on the two under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Act, the court released the duo, Bishwajeet added.The court maintained that the dogs be kept at the PFA shelter home for seven days after which they should be handed either to the state veterinary hospital or the veterinary department-run Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( SPCA ) for permanent rearing.The amount to be spent for caring, medicating and feeding the seven dogs during the seven days period at the PFA animal shelter home were also given to the animal lovers groups by the two accused following the courts ruling.PFA Manipur has earlier as well rescued dogs from illegal traders, cruel confinement and putting them as raffle prize from different parts of the state.

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