Animal activist & entrepreneur Shwetali Mulik, who runs BARK-iNN, a home stay facility for dogs, is a dedicated caregiver and advocate with decades of experience, specialising in dogs.
She lives alone with her four rescued & adopted dogs. One of the dogs was adopted by her at a senior age of 9 years in the Covid Lockdown of 2020.
In her endeavour to enhance the welfare of animals within Lake Homes, Powai as well at other places, she has taken many protective measures. These include implementation of an annual rabies vaccination program for community dogs since 2016, as well as the active participation in sterilisation/neutering programs for both community cats and dogs in collaboration with reputable non-governmental organizations such as SOS and YODA.
However, she has been subjected to relentless harassment in her community because of her animal advocacy. A recent incident has deeply shaken her. “A management member, abusing his position of power, not only bullied and harassed me but also physically violated me in public view. He pressed his body against my back in an inappropriate and deeply disturbing manner, leaving me feeling helpless, humiliated, and unsafe in my own home. Seeking justice, I approached the Police , expecting them to uphold the law. Instead, I was met with indifference and dismissal. I was told that this act “does not constitute a crime,” as if my dignity and safety are insignificant,” says Shwetali, who is a single-divorced woman in her late forties.
She adds, “Adding to this gross injustice, the management deliberately publicly announced to the residents that I have filed a sexual harassment case. How did they know this when the police had not even recorded my statement? This raises serious concerns about the handling of my complaint and suggests a breach of confidentiality. The announcement was clearly an attempt to manipulate public perception and garner sympathy, diverting attention from their misconduct.”
Elaborating further, she says, “Furthermore, a mob gathered on instigation through management’s Whatsapp broadcasts for an AWBI directed Animal Welfare Committee meeting, who proceeded to my public character assassination. Instead of addressing the issue, they chose to attack my reputation, attempting to discredit and silence me. It is also important to note that the Commissioner of Police was the first to be notified of the complaint via email on January 13th, yet the matter remains unresolved, with the Powai Police’s refusal to file an FIR.”
It does not end there, she says. “Currently, I am subjected to escalating harassment that directly impacts my professional pet-sitting services of 13 years, which constitute my livelihood. A separate visitor log had been instituted, exclusively for my guests, my visitors are interrogated regarding their relationship with me and the duration of our acquaintance, my staff members are subjected to verbal abuse, including derogatory remarks concerning their socioeconomic status, caste, and physical appearance. Furthermore, there are indications of a planned prohibition against my guests accompanied by dogs. False accusations have been levied against me, alleging the breeding, sale, and hiring of dogs, health hazards due to dogs, and others, and reported to the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and the State Animal Welfare Board, the Deputy Registrar, the Police. The BMC conducted an inspection in response to these false allegations and purportedly found no violations. However, the Managing Committee has refused to provide me with a copy of the BMC inspection report,” she says.
She adds, “The persistent and escalating pattern of harassment, defamation, intimidation, and the deliberate infliction of emotional well being, culminating in the violation of my personal space and bodily autonomy, constitutes a grave breach of acceptable conduct. These actions are particularly egregious considering my status as an independent, single woman approaching the age of 50. Their actions are clearly driven by a regressive and misogynistic worldview that is fundamentally intolerant of female autonomy, particularly that of a woman who exercises her right to live independently and responsibly care for her companion and community animals.”
Talking about why this is happening, she says, “Their conduct constitutes a deliberate and calculated attempt to inflict significant emotional and psychological distress upon me, subject me to retaliatory ostracization and public humiliation , exploiting my status as a single divorced woman residing independently. Such behaviour is not only morally reprehensible but also constitutes a grave violation of my personal safety and well-being and also of my dogs , potentially amounting to a serious legal offense.”
