In Response to NO COMPASSIONATE Solution?

Sharmini Ratnayake, Animal Activist and Secretary at Animal Protection Trust, Sri Lanka had a telephone conversation with me last Friday morning in response to my article, No Compassionate Solution?, that appeared in this paper on that day. Sharmini is also associated with many other animal welfare organisations in Sri Lanka, namely, Animal Welfare Trust, Animal Welfare and Protection Association (AWPA), Embark, Sathwa Mithra, Cat Protection Trust, Animal SOS, Dog Care Clinic Mihiripanne, Adopt a Dog Sri Lanka (ADSL), Dog Star Foundation, Tikiri Trust Kandy and KACPAW, Kandy. Below is a letter that she sent me.

“As suggested by you, I am writing a few points that I realised all of you are not aware of.

After the no kill policy that came into effect in 2006 by the Past President Mahinda Rajapakse, to control the dog population and the spread of rabies the government under the Ministry of Health started an islandwide programme to sterilise and vaccinate dogs against rabies. This brought down the number of deaths by rabies and the population of strays was reduced enormously.

From 2016 the Ministry of Health handed it over to the Department of Animal Production and Health. As always in the handing and taking over there has been many delays which has caused an increase of the population. This is also because of irresponsible pet ownership. Without making use of the facilities available they wait till their pet litters and then dump the pups in temples, markets etc. There are over a 100,000 stray or community dogs and to take them in and house them in a pound is not the solution. The cost factor of food and manpower for such a colossal scheme is something no one will be able to afford.

The way forward is to sterilise and immunise and the cost is Rs. 1500.00.

If all those who are civic conscious contribute for one dog, this problem of street dogs will be eradicated with time as no pups will be on the streets but just the older ones that will die of age/ accidents/illness.

I think this is the best solution being a Buddhist country that preaches ahimsa at every turn. Might be a good idea to practise it too.”

Sharmini also said that this was just the tip of the iceberg as there was so much to do with the handling of stray dogs and cats.

We see many other issues like the need for protecting wild elephants, leopards, turtles etc., and it is great to know that many people are dedicated to these causes.

Looking back on people like Dian Fossey, selfless in her pursuit to protect the mountain gorillas in Rwanda, who gave up everything else in her life, went bankrupt in the process and, finally it cost her life, the world is now aware and great protection of the mountain gorillas are carried on.

To all animal protectors/activists, I wish them well and hopefully the menace caused to the public by the strays on the streets is resolved speedily.

There are over a 100,000 stray or community dogs and to take them in and house them in a pound is not the solution.