Instagram Influencer Faces Backlash for Kicking Stray Dog for Likes

Some people deserve to be canceled, especially if they abuse a stray dog for social media likes.

Stray Dog Targeted by Influencer

Instagram influencer Kajal Kiran from Mumbai is one of those people. She recently posted an Instagram reel in which she lured a stray dog close to her with her hand, then kicked him. After the dog yelped and scampered away, Kiran laughed and clapped her hands as if animal abuse were the most hilarious thing in the world.

While the influencer has since removed the video from her Instagram, others weren’t ready to forget her misdeed. Vidit Sharma, the founder of dog charity Save A Stray, reposted the clip on Twitter with the caption: “How can you be so insensitive toward these voiceless souls… If you cant love them dont hurt them.”

Others tagged the Mumbai police. In India, kicking a dog is considered a form of animal cruelty under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, Section 11. The crime carries a nominal fine.

Walking Back Bad Behavior

The influencer, who has a modest 127,000 followers on Instagram, posted an apology video on the platform (of course she did).

“I am sorry for my cruel act, this was a heat of moment,” Kiran wrote alongside the video. She continued: “I regret my actions and didn’t realize the gravity at that point of time. I vow to not harm any animals.”

Kiran followed up with videos of herself giving snacks and water to dogs on the street. As if that weren’t enough self-serving PR, she added one more reel featuring the following text:

“Sorry friend, I made a big mistake unknowingly, I myself love animals, I have two dogs in my own house, you all have commented that if I am scared then why laugh, the truth is one of my friends The name was Mannu, he was troubling me a lot, I was abusing him, that’s why I burst out laughing. I am sorry if I hurt you in anyway.”

But ultimately, for many dog lovers on the internet, this is all too little, too late.