Let Us Kill Sick Strays

Sterilisation isn't enough, BMC tells Bombay High Court that diseased dogs
need to be 'put to sleep' to control the number of dog-bites in the city
PANDURANG MHASKE


   The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked the Bombay High
Court for permission to kill diseased and ailing stray dogs in the city as
their bites could result in terrible infections. Such dogs would be "put to
sleep," the BMC has said in politically correct language intended not to
alienate animal rights activists, by administering them an overdose of
anesthesia.

   In its petition filed before the court recently, the corporation has
claimed killing is necessary as sterilisations alone have not helped reduce
the number of dog-bite cases. In 2005, 53,238 people in the city were bitten
by strays and 32 died of rabies, while in the last six months alone, 19,011
people have suffered dog-bites, according to the BMC.

   Although 1,000 dogs are sterilised every month and the corporation is
willing to take that number to 2,500, that isn't enough to control the stray
population that has shot up to Rs 4.5 lakh, the civic body has said. Civic
officials said the killing of strays was allowed in countries like China on
health grounds and should be similarly allowed here. The High Court imposed
a ban on killing strays in 1994 and directed that they be sterilised after
Maneka Gandhi filed a petition alleging cruelty.

   The BMC then roped in NGOs for this job. Currently, five NGOs - Welfare
of Stray Dogs, All India Animal Welfare Association, Ahimsa, In Defence of
Animals and Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals - are
involved in the sterilisation programme.

4.5 LAKH: STRAYS IN THE CITY 53,238: DOG-BITES IN 2005 19,011: DOG-BITES IN
LAST SIX MONTHS


Publication: Mumbai Mirror ; Date: Sep 30, 2006; Section: Front Page; Page
Number:1

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