We demand the following. If the authorities can support us and help our cause excellent. Else we will find our own way:
1.) Immediate shut down of GHMC pounds, shelter or ABC units. All the same with different names. If the venue needs to function as ABC units then will only be acceptable to us if done by reputable long standing AWO(s) with independent references.
2.) Inquiry about the mismanagement of the erstwhile pound, the cruelty against so many animals who were tragic victims of negligence of the worst kind.
3.) Action against the concerned officials of the GHMC.
There is photographic proof
that the pounds have been working with blatant disregard of the Animal
Birth Control rules (2001)
(http://moef.nic.in/legis/awbi/awbi13.html), Some of these violations are:
No tagging of captured dogs or systemic record was maintained by the pounds.
Dogs were being caught by ropes(!) causing extreme distress to the animal.
No announcement or education / sensitization was being done by the
GHMC prior to, or while, catching the dogs before this whole episode came into light.
The caught dogs need to be brought back to the kennels maintained by
the animal welfare organizations, per the law. Unfortunately, in Hyd the GHMC is the AWO.
Healthy and sick dogs were being kept in extremely inhumane
conditions, all together and not segregated. There are photographs of
dogs huddled together in terrible conditions, of dogs and puppies in the same cage.
Dogs were not being released to their original location. There have
been various mentions by the GHMC that the dogs need to be dislocated
because of complaints from VIPs.
There are ample photographs which show complete disregard of point 8
of catching stray dogs of the ABC rules. By the time AWBI representatives reached
significant number of dogs had been disposed off and only few dogs
were at the pound. The result of the meeting between the board and the
GHMC representatives was that they agreed on a better way forward and
to setup a humane facility for ABC and not for hoarding. The Chief Vet
Officer continues to deny that these atrocities existed. At the same
time they have consented to only a handful of predetermined volunteers
to enter the compound and that to in defined hours. The volunteers have also been told that if they see the pound in a mess, they should do the cleaning and the feeding. (All GHMC
staff which is responsible for that work is being paid Govt salaries so I fail to understand why shd volunteer be cleaning and feeding?
I dont believe that there will be any change in the way the things are
run. What is disappointing to me is that the AWBI and the authorities
seem to just let all this cruelty go out the window and start on a clean plate. This is not acceptable as the people responsible for this cruelty should have been accountable. Lives are lost due to human negligience.
Secondly, if govt is allowed to run pounds, all states and cities will
resort to similar arrangements and stray dogs will be locked up in dirt, negligience and loneliness. This is infringement on the rights of the animal. These pounds are also against the ABC rules.
Please come forward and take this on. Else we will chart our own path.
Smita Joshi
