Yesterday, 9th October 2022 was the last day of the eight long rabies vaccination drive for the Indian stray dogs which started on the birth anniversary of the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi. It has been raining cats and dogs in Delhi for the last four days but that never dampened the spirit of the caregivers / feeders and the Veterinary staff of CGS Veterinary Hospital from hitting the streets of Delhi to vaccinate their best friend. CGS has contributed immensely in this drive by vaccinating more than 350 dogs out of the 500 dogs who got vaccinated during this drive. They vaccinated our streeties with both rabies and 9 in 1 vaccine. This not only protects our dogs from rabies but also from deadly diseases like parvo and distemper. Others who contributed in the vaccination were Rakshan Trust, Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre and Dr Anoop Pandey a veterinarian from Noida. Max vet had contributed by sponsoring t shirts for the feeders for feeding during the drive and Fermina sponsored dog food. PFA Trustee Ambika Shukla was a pillar of strength during the entire drive. She was personally present at most of the drives cheering and motivating the streethearts. She also helped immensely in media coverage which is very essential in gathering citizens support for this kind of a novel and important initiative.
This drive was first of its kind in India and it's huge success only tells that there are many in this country who love and adore their four legged friends and can go to any extent to help them and protect them.
Though the drive is over but due to huge demand from caregivers / feeders who want to get their voiceless friends vaccinated the drive shall be extended in near future.
The goal of the members of India Unites for Animal Rghts is to see a canine rabies free India by getting all the dogs vaccinated and it is the caregivers of India who will help in accomplishing this goal. Had they been involved in the ABC program then today our dogs would not have died such a torturous death both in Kerala and other parts of India.
Last month hundreds of dogs were massacred in Kerala and the sad part is that this kind of barbarism was supported by the Kerala govt. And Instead of accepting their folly they are still blaming the dogs. They have now appealed to the Supreme Court of India to permit them to kill ferocious dogs. This is absurd. These people do not feed dogs and hold those responsible for feeding dogs for dog bites. Many walk with sticks and air gun in their hand. The most literate state seem to lack basic education. How do they expect a starved, thirsty and terrorized dog to be loving and docile. These people provoke the dogs to attack them and bite them? They and majority of the people of India need to learn how to behave with dogs. It's sheer ignorace which is leading to dog bites and dog attacks pan India.
To counter this India unites for animal rights has started a petition on change.org which has been addressed to the honourable Chief Justice of India. They have requested the honourable Chief Justice not to allow culling of innocent dogs of Kerala. Instead the govt should implement the ABC program because that's the only humane and legal way to control stray dog population. Also the complaint centric and unsystematic ABC program which is currently being run by the municipal corporation pan India should be replaced by a more systematic ABC program with peoples participation. Along with this the honourable court should also direct the govt of India to replace the 62 year old prevention of cruelty to animals act 1960 with amended laws which have harsher punishment.
To read about the petition and to give your support kindly go on the link below:
Barkha Dutt an Indian journalist famous for her honest and hard hitting journalism held a panel discussion on this most burning issue. Her panelist consisted of renowned Supreme Court Lawyer Percival Billimoria, Animal rights activist and PFA trustee Ambika Shukla, Member of Parliament from Kerala V. Sivadasan and Senior advocate from Kerala Mukund P Unny.
To watch the panel discussion kindly go on the link below:
We are very hopeful that as long as India has lawyers like Billimoria this country will never allow any injustice to happen to its voiceless souls.