The Hindu : Karnataka News : Elimination of stray dogs criticised

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 26, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Elimination of stray dogs criticised

Staff Correspondent

Davangere City Corporation staff had given them poisonous injections

Street dogs should only be immunised and sterilised
They should be captured by humane methods

DAVANGERE: The mass elimination of stray dogs by the Davangere City Corporation a few days ago has evoked critical public response. Its actions have been strongly opposed by some Jain organisations, doctors and groups working for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

While a section of people, mainly victims of stray dog bites, have welcome the Corporations action, many of them have strongly condemned it. They quoted the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules – 2001 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The act classifies dogs as pet dogs and street dogs while its owner is made responsible for breeding, immunisation, sterilisation and licensing. Street dogs, it says, shall be sterilised and immunised by the civic body in association with animal welfare organisations and private individuals.

The Act directs forming of a monitoring committee headed by the Commissioner of the civic body, comprising an officer each from the Health and Veterinary departments and a representative from the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It also directs the civic bodies to establish a sufficient number of dog pounds including animal kennels and shelters which can be managed by animal welfare organisations. It also provides for dog vans with ramps for their capture and transportation, and also an ambulance-cum-clinical van for sterilisation and immunisation. The act also directs the civic bodies to provide incinerators for disposal of carcasses.

It also suggests that dogs be captured only on receipt of specific complaints and that all dogs be tagged for identification purposes. It also says that dogs should be released in the same area after sterilisation and vaccination. They should be captured by humane methods such as lassoing or through the use of soft-loop animal catchers. It also says that female dogs found to be pregnant should not undergo abortion (irrespective of stage of pregnancy). Dogs which are incurably ill and mortally wounded, as diagnosed by a qualified veterinarian, shall be euthanized during specified hours in a humane manner. If any dog is found to have a high probability of rabies, it should be isolated till it dies a natural death.

Quoting such provisions, animal welfare organisations raised serious objections to the killing of the dogs by administering poisonous injections.

Meanwhile, they also offered to co-operate with the civic body in rehabilitating the stray dogs.

However, Corporation officials have expressed helplessness over the issue. They have however, decided to invite animal welfare organisations to the discussion table with regard to the management of street dogs in the city.

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