The AWBI (Animal Welfare Board of India) who is the supreme body for making guidelines for animals in India has been absolutely blind to the dogs living in educational institutions in India. Everybody is well aware of the huge population which lives in educational institutions in India Including the Principals, the Vice Chancellors, teachers and office staff but it just doesn't matter to them. Just like many of our chief ministers who have turned a blind eye to the animals cohabiting their states the head of the institutions too have chosen to do the same.
Due to the educational institutions being shut due to the lock down many dogs are starving and may die soon.
These are the reports which have come in the last few days:
1 This is a news of Zakir Hussain College Delhi. It was reported that due to lockdown many dogs inside the campus are starving to death. After the news the volunteers went to the college but they were stopped to enter the college premises. The volunteers had to take lawyers with them the next day and only then they were allowed to enter the college premises. To read the complete report kindly go to the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/102339994552865/posts/197404891713041/
https://www.facebook.com/102339994552865/posts/195870825199781/
2 This is a news of a college of Delhi University which has gone viral on social media today on 3rd April 2020. The message was forwarded on save animal WhatsApp group by a reporter (M-8860442499)
"Poor stray dogs are starving and dying in gurugobind Singh pitampura college....
Requesting people plzz...plzz feed there �����"
A petition on change.org was started by Gargi Thakur of IIT Roorkee to the Dean of the college about three years ago. Her petition was against the relocation of stray dogs from the campus and inhuman treatment of the man's best friend.
IITs are one of the premier institutions of India. The students from these institutions are not only well placed in India but also abroad.
Gargi wanted to bring justice to the dogs in the campus by providing them with love and dignity which law provides them but we humans don't. Her petition status shows 'closed' and not 'victory'.
So presumably she must have given up under pressure from the authorities.
Unfortunately implementation of animal laws are pathetic in India.
Dogs can not be relocated, can not be beaten or kicked but even premier institutions like Delhi University and IITs are not aware of it.
Whose fault is it? Whose fault is it that the dogs in the college and school campuses are dying of starvation and thirst?
Is it not the responsibility of the college administration to provide the dogs in the campus with food and water?
Generally it is the students who voluntarily feed the dogs in the campus but due to lockdown it's not possible for them to go to the college's. So the least the college administration can do is order pedigree food or any food (bread and milk) and ask their guards to feed the dogs at least once a day. And if any teacher, staff or student can volunteer the administration should allow them to come and feed the dogs. This is the least the educationist of India can do for the voiceless dying of hunger in their campuses.
Had the AWBI made guidelines for dog welfare in educational institutions which is long overdue then probably people like Gargi would not have to witness helplessly the dogs being relocated from their campuses and nor dogs dying of starvation in campuses.
This is happening because the administration doesn't feel that the animals living in their campuses are their responsibility.
Before reports of dogs dying due to starvation in school.and college campuses come the AWBI should send circulars to all the Vice Chancellors and educational heads telling them to feed the dogs within their campuses.