According to the Dog rules 2001 the stray dogs can only be picked up for sterilization and once sterilized they are suppose to be dropped back at the same location.
Relocation of dogs is prohibited. But we have seen how dogs in various parts of India are being picked up and thrown in jungles and outside the cities. Very recently such incident took place in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh.
The bitter truth is that there are towns and cities in India where there are no ABC (Animal Birth Control) centres and if at all the centres exist they are only for name sake because sterilization does not happen there.
In the city of Delhi, which is the capital of India and should be the role model for other states of India unfortunately the ABC program is happening in the most unsystematic and random manner. It's mostly complaint centric. The dogs are picked up for sterilization once the RWAs or the dog haters make a complaint to the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) of dog bites or overpopulation of dogs in the area.
Most of the RWAs and the people including the people who feed do not know about the ABC program. Even if they know about the ABC program they do not know which is the ABC center which caters to their area.
The ABC centres are very few in number and most of them are being run by NGOs who have been given the land by the MCD to run the ABC centre. Hence, they become a puppet in the hands of the MCD. They do what the MCD asks them to do.
The NGOs often complain about financial crunch in running the ABC cebtre. No timely payment of the money by the MCD for sterilization done by them.
Anyway to add to the misery of the caregivers who are already under so much hardships many NGOs are now charging money for getting the dogs sterilized. They charge around Rs. 1500 to Rs 2000 per dog. Many caregivers are giving money and getting the dogs of their area sterilized but the question is can all the caregivers afford that much money? What about the dogs of caregivers who cannot afford money? The stray dog population is only increasing day by day in the city of Delhi. Although the NGOs and the MCD claim that the population has decreased over the years. But the reality is far from what they claim.
Someone left a puppy in a residential area in East Delhi (Pic in the post). A kind hearted caregiver Seema (M- +918368032855) has kept the puppy in her house and is now looking for a home for the puppy. This is not the first time that a Pup has been relocated. This happens all the time. Many people try to get rid of dogs in their area by relocating them. The caregivers are tired of this unending plight. They are drained out emotionally, physically and financially. Just how many more hungry mouths will they feed? The number is just growing day by day.
Republic Day is just few days away. It is the day when the Constitution of India came into effect on 26, January 1950.
In the capital the day is celebrated with a lot of fervor. At India gate all our leaders right from our honorable President, Prime Minister and all the Ministers congregate and celebrate the event.
Anyway the sad part is that every year the republic day and the Independence day ( which takes place on 15th August) become a nightmare for a our street dogs.
A caregiver Sumit (M- +919717712715) had to get a dog sterilized from the Gazi Pur ABC centre in East Delhi. But the centre refused him and told him that they are not taking any dogs for sterilization till 1st February. The reason for their refusal was that they have been asked by the MCD to keep all the dogs being picked from India Gate and Rajghat at their centres because of Republic Day. The same situation is at neighborhood woofs in North Delhi. All the dogs from Chandani Chowk and its adjoining areas are being put in their ABC centre.
All kinds of dogs are being picked up whether sterilized, unsterilized and dumped at these ABC centres.
Although the dogs are dropped back but the possibility of dogs being dropped at wrong location cannot be ruled out.
Dog rules 2001 does not allow such pick up then why is it happening in the capital every year?
If today it is happening in the capital then how can we stop the dogs from being picked up for republic day and independence day celebration in other states of India? It happened last year in a stadium in Haryana when the Chief Minister had to come for the celebration.
In the capital the dogs are being picked and dumped in the ABC centres but what about those places in India where there are no ABC centres? In the name of such celebration and VIP movement the dogs would just be sacrificed. They would be thrown out of the cities.
Dogs are not a piece of trash or a threat to our leaders who congregate to celebrate this auspicious day. They are not terrorists or wild creatures but unfortunately we Indians have turned them into one. Like we pick up criminals and put then in prison so also these poor helpless dogs are picked up every year and dumped in the shelters.
Article 51 (G) of the Indian Constitition states the following:
"It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures"
Catching dogs is not easy. It is a very scary and torturous experience for the dog. Kindly see the following videos below which are taken from various parts of India but this is how dogs are caught. Where is compassion in our hearts for these voiceless souls?
in Delhi still the dogs are caught by the above method.
Recently the dogs in Bhopal were being picked up using nets and in several places the corporation is using nets to catch dogs but that too is not less tormenting. Kindly go on the link below to watch the ordeal of the Indian street dog goes through while being picked up. This leaves the dog with a very bitter memory.
https://www.facebook.com/1758090254221897/posts/4979771632053727/
The dogs of Delhi who reside near India Gate, Rajghat and Old Delhi go through this trauma every year. This is the way they are picked up every year. Is this how republic day should be celebrated? Violating the Dog Rules 2001 and destroying the very essence of our constitution. Is this how compassion is shown to animals. No wonder once returned these dogs start biting people, chasing them and barking at them.
MCD is indeed the biggest villain to bring so much trauma to the man's best friend. This should stop. The order to pick up dogs for republic day celebration should be withdrawn and all those already picked should be dropped back to their location without any delay.
The ABC centres should stop being used as dumping grounds for such celebrations. Rather they should be used for the purpose of sterilization alone the purpose for which they have been made. And for God sake the govt of India should allocate budget in every state of India to run ABC centres. Crores of rupees have been spent by the central govt in beautifying New Delhi especially the India Gate area through their ambitious project Central Vista. Don't they have few crores for our Indian dogs whose population is multiplying in every state of India? Due to which there has been a rise in man-dog and man-man conflict? Why is the govt acting so miserly when it comes to animals especially dogs in India? Is it because they cannot speak and they cannot cast their vote? Don't they have a right to good life and safety on this holy land of India? At least that is what our constitution says.
Sterilization is just a one time cost and if properly done the expenses of the govt will gradually decline as the population declines. There is just a need for proper awareness about the ABC program and collaborations between the RWAs / Caregivers and the ABC centres. Only then we can control the stray dog population in India in a humane and legal manner.
1 President of India
Twitter @rashtrapatibhvn
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Email - presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
2 Prime Minister of India
Twitter @PMOIndia
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Email - PMO office complaint
E-Mail : pmosb@pmo.nic.in
3 Minister for Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Daryimg
Twitter @Min_FAHD
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Email p.rupala@sansad.nic.in
4 Animal Welfare Board of India
Twitter @AwbiBallabhgarh
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5 South Delhi Municipal corporation
Twitter @OfficialSdmc
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6 East Delhi Municipal Corporation
Twitter @OfficialEdmc
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7 North Delhi Municipal Corporation
@north_mcd
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8 New Delhi Municipal Council
Twitter @tweetndmc
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