Ghaziabad has been in news for all bad reasons. It is a place where processions and marches were held by dog haters few months back to remove dogs from their societies. Many dog feeders were mentally and physically tortured and even framed in false charges.
Recently on 19th November 2020 around 50 people went to the municipal corporation office for taking strict action against the stray dogs. To provide the residents with security against the dogs. Apparently a five year old boy was bitten by dogs while he was playing in the park.
What happened should not have happened. This is very unfortunate. No one should get bitten by dogs especially young children but the question is have the child's parents and the fifty odd people who went to lodge a complaint against dogs to the corporation tried to find out that why did the dogs bite the kid or attacked him? Dogs never bite or attack without a reason. And our children unfortunately are neither taught at home nor in schools as to how to behave with dogs. If the parents don't know how to behave with dog and how to treat them with kindness then how will their children know.
Unfortunately the dogs cannot speak for themselves and cannot tell what provoked them to bite. And the way these residents have behaved in the past it doesn't show that they ever treat these voiceless souls with compassion. And the result is right in front of us.
These people have been demanding only one thing for last one year and that is to make a shelter for these dogs and put all of them there. Remove all dogs from in and around the society and dump them all in shelter.
These residents should know by now that this is not possible. Ghaziabad is no different from the rest of India. The same rule applies everywhere in India and Ghaziabad is an integral part of India.
The residents need to change their negative mindset towards dogs. That's the only option they have and thankfully to change their mindset the first awareness campaign by an animal welfare NGO Live for Animals has been started. They have put up posters in Ghaziabad (pic in the post). The poster has been certified by three people: Dr. Vijendra Kumar Tyagi ( Chief Animal Health Officer / Secretary SPCA), Asmita Lal IAS ( Chief Development Officer) and Ajay Shankar Pandey IAS (District Magistrate / President SPCA)
This poster is addressed to the residents of Ghaziabad and it clearly talks about three things:
1 It requests people of Ghaziabad to show compassion towards all animals. Animals are not objects but living beings. Hence, we need to treat them with kindness, respect, love and friendship.
2 We urge people to please look under your cars before driving it because many times these voiceless souls sit under the car to take refuge from rain and scorching heat.
3 Do not relocate the animal or beat the animal with stick, stone or legs. Any form cruelty which gives pain to the animal shall amount to punishable offence under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 Sec 11.
This is indeed a new beginning for Ghaziabad and this is a real step towards development. A development which is inclusive. India needs such IAS officers and veterinarians who understand that animal welfare is as important as human welfare and one is dependent on the other.
It's very important that these posters be put up in every residential colonies, bus stands and market areas of Ghaziabad. And along with this awareness about the ABC program too must be done. Because it's very important that the stray dog population be controlled and I seriously hope that SPCA Ghaziabad will follow a scientific and systematic approach in the implementation of the ABC program with people's participation. Peoples participation is a must for the success of the ABC program.
Education is the only key to end the suffering of the man's best friend in India. And I am glad Ghaziabad has started doing it.
District magistrate Ghaziabad
@Ajayshankarias