Karachi based non-profit organisation, the Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation (ACF) popularly known as ACF Animal Rescue took to their Instagram stories to report the condition of animals at the pet shops at Karachi’s Empress Market on Wednesday.

They had received footage of animals in terrible conditions after which they got in touch with Saddar Assistant Commissioner Abdul Hanan, who immediately got to the scene.

Hanan and the ACF were able to rescue some animals including cats, kittens, puppies and a few birds. While a lot of the animals had been removed from the scene by the shopkeepers before the team arrived.

The Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD) was also alerted who managed to rescue three monkeys, and a wild eagle that were in terrible conditions.

“We managed to rescue three monkeys, four grey francolins and an eagle, however, the shop owner had managed to escape before we arrived,” said Sindh Wildlife Department Field Officer Hasnain Jafferi while talking to Aaj News.

“Shopkeepers are very vigilant, they run away as soon as they see our car or realise that we are about to conduct a raid,” he said.

“We have taken these animals into our cutody, and are taking care of them after which the mokeys will be released near Islamabad or Nathiagali. “

Jafferi added that the Sindh Wildlife Department had recently rescued fifteen monkeys from Karachi Super Highway.

Pet shop owners at the Empress Market have been, reportedly, illegally capturing and selling wild animals. The animals are kept in small cages, without any attention to their hygiene or nutrition. Some animals had been abandoned without food or water during Karachi’s torrential rain and Eid holidays. Most of them had either died or were close to dying, in their cramped up cages lined with faeces.

The ACF Animal Rescue team appealed to people to speak up for animals rights and demanded that laws be formed to protect the voiceless.

ACF Animal rescue claims to be Pakistan’s largest sanctuary and rescue service for injured and abused street animals. The animal rescue service has a go fund me link as it works on a non-profit basis.

The team also requested for funds to be able to buy water pumps to drain out rain water from the sanctuary in case it rains again, as predicted in Karachi.