Bangalore: Sterilised stray dogs are being killed indiscriminately by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), allege several animal welfare organisations.

Over the past month, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has received flak for not effectively containing stray dog population in the city, especially after a nine-year-old girl was mauled to death by a feral pack that hung around meat shops in the area. Following the incident, the BBMP officials went on an overdrive and caught stray dogs from various parts of the city and shut down a few unauthorised meat shops.

"Under severe pressure and to fill the quotas, the BBMP personnel are picking up dogs that have been sterilised and vaccinated at a considerable cost under the Animal Birth Control programme," said Savitha Nagabhushan of Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA).

She said that culling sterilised dogs was counter-productive as vacuums would be created in the respective areas and dogs that have not been sterilised from the neighbouring areas would move in.

Sanober Z. Bharucha, honorary secretary of CUPA, said that culling had not worked for the past 50 years. The sterilised and vaccinated dogs had created a "rabies-free ring" around the city. "This can be proven as no human death due to rabies has been reported in Bangalore (within the erstwhile Bangalore Mahanagara Palike limits) for the past three years," she said.

Animal welfare organisations suggest that a multi-pronged approach comprising sterilising, vaccinating, "euthanas-ing" infirm dogs, and setting up a large shelter by BBMP would be ideal to contain stray dog population.

"The BBMP cannot be blamed since politicians and public are putting undue pressure on the officials, who are thereby forced to pick up even gentle and sterilised dogs. Culling of dogs indiscriminately is the result of public hysteria. But, many people, especially those belonging to a lower socio-economic group, want the sterilised vaccinated dogs to guard their areas," Ms. Bharucha said.

M.F. Saldanha, former judge, High Court of Karnataka, in a letter to Minister for Health R. Ashok, said that the culling of dogs is a "knee-jerk reaction that has set back the anti-rabies programme" in which Bangalore was doing so well. The animals that have been culled were community dogs and these were important for the survival of the city, he said in his letter.

Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Saldanha said that BBMP officials were forced to pick up sterilised and friendly dogs because "they have no choice." Manu Baligar, Deputy Commissioner (Health), BBMP, denied the charge about indiscriminate culling of sterilised dogs. His officials had no other choice but to pick up stray dogs, he said. "When people complain, we have to take action and catch the dogs. However, we are not culling indiscriminately. The allegations are baseless," he said.

As for the charge that BBMP was killing dogs using illegal methods, he said the animals were put down as per the norms. "We give the dogs lethal injections and they die in a few seconds. They do not suffer," he said. The BBMP is killing only dogs that had been identified as ferocious by the public. "Every action we have taken so far is according to the rules and regulations. We have not done anything illegal," he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail