‘I use my voice to encourage people to break the silence on animal abuse,’ says Rashmi Gautam | Telugu Movie News

Rashmi Gautam, a popular Telugu TV host and actress, is a staunch advocate of animal rights. She often uses her social media platforms to raise awareness about the mistreatment of animals, including stray dogs, chickens, cows and elephants. Despite the online criticism, Rashmi remains true to her cause and believes that it is vital. In a chat with Hyderabad Times, she stresses her commitment to raising awareness about animal abuse and to campaign for stricter laws and education to protect these voiceless creatures.

“It is not healthy to eat animals that are poorly kept”
“I am against poultry because it is neither fair nor healthy to eat animals that are fed GM food and poorly cared for,” explains Rashmi, adding, “I gave up dairy because I did not want to continue animal cruelty. I want to use my voice to encourage people to break the silence on animal abuse and encourage them to choose local products. Ask your doodhwala if the cow is giving milk naturally or is it inseminated. These small actions can mean a lot.”



“I have adopted several indie dogs”
The Guntur Talkies actress has adopted many indie dogs. “I had an indie dog named Chutki, whom I lost due to an autoimmune disease. People were surprised and asked me if dogs can have autoimmune diseases. I said yes, they have the same problems as us, including osteoporosis. Apart from Chutki, I also have Pogo. Some of my pets are in shelters where I continuously pay for their care,” she says.

“Stricter laws against animal cruelty must be enacted”
Rashmi is fighting for stricter laws against animal cruelty, along with many animal rights activists and animal welfare organizations. “Can you believe that you can just pay a fine of 50 rupees for animal cruelty and then carry on?” she asks, mentioning that she is campaigning for a law on the issue. “We are demanding a fine of at least 500,000 rupees and imprisonment for every animal cruelty. That should scare people a little.”



“Adopt, don’t buy”
Rashmi strongly advocates adopting dogs instead of buying fancy breeds. “If you buy a breed from a store, make sure the breeder is licensed and ethical. Many puppies die within six months of being brought home because they contract parvo. Microchipping should also be mandatory to track down owners who abandon animals,” she advises.

By M Priyanka Goud