NEEDED: SUSTAINED CAMPAIGN FOR STERILISATION OF STRAYS

As an observer, I find that there is disconnect among stakeholders on the canine issue. Instead of working in tandem to identify the underlying factors and applying their minds to come up with humane and practical solutions, the civic authorities and animal rights activists seem to be pulling the cart in different directions.

My reading is that neither the municipal department staff nor the animal rights activists have proper knowledge of tackling stray dog menace.

I suggest:

Animal rights activists should connect with municipal officials and local population in their respective areas and create awareness about canine behaviour. They could also plan a proper and sustained campaign aimed at sterilising the strays in mobile vans, rather than in the municipality’s animal shelters. Mohalla committees of dog lovers should be set up to ensure pups are put through necessary vaccination course.

As the pups grow up to the required age of sterilisation, they should be neutered so that the ABC (animal birth control) is facilitated.

The mohalla committees should ensure that the pups and their seniors are fed a minimum diet of glucose biscuits every day. The money could be collected through donations. Local municipal councillors/corporators and MLAs/MLCs should be approached for sanctioning of funds for the upkeep of strays in their respective areas.

Animal welfare departments should take the help of NGOs in building a canine database, which would help in tracking the growth in canine population.