Bangalore-The HIndu - Arguments over culling of sterilised dogs

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Date:12/02/2007 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/12/stories/2007021220550300.htm

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Karnataka - Bangalore

 

Arguments over culling of sterilised dogs , Chitra V. Ramani

 

Animal welfare organisations allege that sterilised stray dogs are

being killed indiscriminately

 

 

 

 

 

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a.. Official denies charge, says action is within legal framework

a.. Multi-pronged approach to contain stray dogs favoured

 

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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