Gurgaon:(http://www.firstpost.com) While the rest of the country has been wondering whether Kapil Sibal should play Big Brother and whether they should spend New Year’s at the Ramlila Maidan fighting corruption, some residents of the gated community I live in organised a 15-person protest against a much more serious problem — the presence of four vaccinated, sterilised mongrels who live in the colony. Why? Because one of the dogs barks occasionally at night and that is good enough reason to want that all four dogs be thrown out.This is not an aberration in just my colony in Gurgaon. This is the ugly side of new Shining India. Suddenly people have come into money and this money is used as muscle power to deal with anything that doesn’t fit the scheme of things — the homeless, beggars and dogs.
Going by how we treat humans though, it’s not surprising that there’s total disregard for animal rights. But everything must have a solution.
The homeless can’t just be carted off and locked into colonies outside city perimeters because we don’t want to see them outside our gates. Similarly, there needs to be a system in place for us to co-exist with animals in the city — and in Gurgaon’s gorgeous gated communities — till we reach a stage in our country where there is no garbage or vermin on the roads.
Simply put, if people in Gurgaon and Delhi want their cities to be animal-free like Singapore, they should also adopt civic duties that citizens in Singapore follow. No chewing gum in public transport, no littering, no shouting in public, civic amenities which are state-of-the-art, and only then eradicate all things unpleasant from sight.
While there’s nothing you can do about intolerance, there are certain laws, procedures and humane and rational practices that should be kept in mind if your neighbours, or even you yourself, want to save the country from the onslaught of all these animals:
You cannot relocate a healthy dog from its location. This is totally illegal, although that is a fact which does not bother most citizens. Reuters
You cannot relocate a healthy dog from its location. This is totally illegal, although the fact does not bother most citizens. The complete lack of adherence to law is not unique to the residents of the colony I live in, but is pretty much par for the course for Gurgaon and Delhi as a whole.
According to Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960:
Any person who beats, kicks, over-rides, over-drives, over-loads, tortures or otherwise treats any animals so as to subject it to unnecessary pain or suffering or causes or, being the owner permits, any animal to be so treated needlessly, he shall be punishable with a fine or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with both.
And while residents and associations are free to address institutional agencies for redressal of grievances in this matter, no resident or association will interfere with the freedom of other residents in tending animals. Intimidation in any form is a criminal offence and action can be taken against them under criminal law.
If you know of anyone trying to forcibly relocate a dog, or you are trying to do it yourself, keep in mind that this is a criminal act. And any organisation such as People for Animals or Friendicoes in Delhi will help you to stop this kind of illegal action.
You can get street dogs spayed and neutered. There are organisations which will spay and neuter and vaccinate the street dogs in your colony at a minimal cost of Rs 25 per vaccine. If you’re really concerned about the increasing mongrel population in your neighbourhood, don’t try to take matters into your own hands. Instead, pick up the phone and call any animal welfare organisation in your city to help you. Almost all are aware of the Animal Birth Control programme.
Moreover, before taking a foolish and inhumane step, remember that as per Indian law, street dogs cannot be beaten or driven away. They can merely be sterilised in the manner envisaged in the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 (Rules under Indian Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960), vaccinated, and then returned back to their original locations.
The best option is to get the dog sterilised. With no mating or crossing of territories, dog fights reduce dramatically and since fighting reduces, bites to humans also become rare. Since the dogs are immunised, they don’t spread rabies. And over time, as the dogs die natural deaths, their numbers dwindle, the dog population will become stable, non-breeding, non-aggressive and rabies-free.
You can befriend the dogs, instead of antagonising them. If you feel that the dogs are growling at you or your children, try and befriend them. Dogs are not the brightest of animals. And they never bite the hand that feeds them. Take a Marie biscuit and just leave it near the dog. If you do this repeatedly over a number of days, you’ll notice that when you walk by, the dog will neither growl at you nor grimace at your child. It’ll, in fact, wag its tail at you. As dogs have food in their stomach and realise that the people around them are not a threat, they immediately become more even-tempered and friendly and sleep through the night and not make a racket. Much like well-fed children.
In fact, just this week the Delhi High Court has asked the Animal Welfare Board of India to identify dog feeding sites all across the city for feeding stray dogs. This was in response to a petition filed by animal lovers who had approached the High Court to intervene and save them from physical and verbal attacks from other residents opposed to them feeding stray dogs. The petitioners alleged they were harassed by residents of their colonies for giving food to stray dogs. The court agreed with the petitioners that feeding stray dogs is both lawful and helpful and instructed the cops to give protection to animal lovers who wanted to feed stray dogs.
There are organisations which will spay and neuter and vaccinate the street dogs in your colony at a minimal cost. AFP
You can form a Canine Care committee. Garden Estate in Gurgaon has a group of young children who look after the colony’s mongrels. They raise funds for the dogs’ vaccinations by setting up stalls during the colony fests and other get-togethers. They wake up at 7am and visit the dogs before heading off to school and also make sure the vet visits the dogs regularly. Meals are given by them to the dogs as well. This has resulted in these dogs being happy and friendly and accustomed to people.
If there is a problem, call animal welfare. If there is a diseased or ill animal on your street, you can call any animal welfare organisation in your city. In Delhi, you can call Friendicoes at 24320707 and 24314787 or People for Animals on + 91 (11) 27862810. They’ll come and pick them up, treat them, wait for them to be cured fully before releasing them back on the same street again.
So, instead of pelting stones at and plotting the downfall of the homeless animals in your colony and street, I’d strongly recommend that you pick up James Herriot’s books. And remember that children who look after animals grow up to be more responsible, less skittish and much more caring adults. They might even bother to look after you in your old age.
Reference with thanks http://www.firstpost.com/living/who-let-the-dogs-in-stray-dogs-and-india-shining-155919.html/2>
Reference with thanks http://www.firstpost.com/living/who-let-the-dogs-in-stray-dogs-and-india-shining-155919.html#.Tu48kiQRqNc.facebook>
