India's dog culls

[Guest guest]

Dear Sirs,

 

We were horrified to learn that, unlike other States of India,

Karnataka is dealing with the problem of street dogs with a campaign of

mass-killings.

 

Throughout India homeless dogs are commonplace, yet in many States their

numbers are being controlled effectively by Animal Birth Control

programs. No animal population can grow more than available food permits

and when dogs are neutered, vaccinated and returned to their own

territory, they prevent other dogs moving in, thus limiting their

numbers naturally.

 

When, as in Karnataka however, ample supplies of food are thrown into

the streets by illegal meat sellers, their numbers will obviously

increase. By simply killing the dogs you are encouraging the breeding of

replacements. Nature abhors a vacuum and you are creating a situation in

which the culls will have to be repeated indefinitely.

 

We urge you instead to catch, neuter and vaccinate the strays of

Karnataka, release them back onto the streets, and close down the

illegal and unhygienic meat traders that are the real cause of this

problem.

 

India has a reputation throughout the world as a humane country, and its

people are renown for their kindness. We beg you not to let this

reputation be so tarnished by cruel, inefficient, and easily avoidable

methods of animal control.

 

Yours sincerely,

Maria and Katerina Nika,

Animal advocates from Greece