Karnataka Minister Says Bengaluru Will Be 'Free Of Stray Dogs', Residents Protest

Residents gathered at Freedom Park on Sunday to protest against Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan¡¯s statement that Bengaluru will be free of stray dogs. The minister had on July 7 said that the three lakh stray dogs will be moved to a shelter.

¡®Statement misleading¡¯

Sujata Prasanna, a member of Action for Animal Justice, called the statement ¡®misleading¡¯.

¡°First, there is no such facility available in Bengaluru, which can accommodate lakhs of dogs. Second, the statement is in contempt of the Supreme Court¡¯s rulings and guidelines and violates the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960,¡± she said.

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Stray dogs are protected under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and rules enacted under Section 38 of the act, particularly the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001, which makes it illegal for an individual, residents¡¯ welfare association or estate management to remove or relocate dogs.

People tried relocating dogs

People tried relocating dogs assuming that the minister had given them permission.

¡°The municipal corporation can only take the street dogs away for neutering/spaying. Following the operation, the municipal corporation must ensure that the dogs are returned to their former territory to avoid dogfights,¡± Sujata said as per The Deccan Herald.

The minister¡¯s statement triggered a surge in complaints against animals, she said.

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¡°His remarks have caused undue anxiety and concern among animal caretakers,¡± she said.

She adds: ¡°We have sent numerous e-mails to the minister¡¯s office, filed RTIs and met him in person. He had promised to clarify his statement after a meeting with the BBMP and the animal husbandry department within 10 days. But no such clarification has been issued yet.¡±

Nearly 60 citizens gathered at the protest asked the minister to clarify his remarks.

What did Minister say?

The animal husbandry department is thinking about making Bengaluru stray dog-free after getting many complaints of dog attacks and rabies in the city, as per details by the department.

ANI

¡°It is important to catch the street dogs and give them all the required vaccines so that people need not have to worry about street dogs. We are also planning to bring them under one shelter where they can be rescued and properly taken care of so that people don't get any scarcity and disturbance by the street dogs,¡± said Chauhan.

He further said that considering all the details given by the BBMP and the animal husbandry department officials ¡°we will take the decision to make Bengaluru stray dog-free.¡±

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