CHENNAI: Animal rights activists have levelled allegations of gross medical negligence and cruelty towards stray dogs at four animal birth control (ABC) centres in Tambaram and Avadi, claiming several dogs have died after birth control surgeries and that operations are being performed on already sterilised dogs to inflate surgery counts.
The allegations have been levelled against centres at Bharathipuram, Anakaputhur and Gundumedu in Tambaram, and Konnambedu in Avadi, run by an NGO contracted by the respective corporations. The activists alleged the NGO has not obtained the mandatory project recognition certificate from the Animal Welfare Board of India as required under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.
The activists claimed lack of transparency and absence of record at the centres. They also said local monitoring committee has not been formed, and the public is not informed about where dogs are picked up from, as mandated under the rules.
E Martina, an activist, said, “There is no weighing machine at the Konnambedu centre. We checked the entire premises.
When asked, Dr Sneha, working at the centre, said they would administer (the appropriate dose of) anaesthesia only after seeing the dog. If the anesthesia is given in excess, the dog may die and if it is given in lesser quantity than required, the dog may experience pain during surgery.”
She added, “Some dogs may experience seizures, pain post surgery so there needs to be monitoring, but the doctor leaves after performing the surgery. There will be no one to take care of the dogs after that.”
V Valavan, an activist, said, “When we went to the Avadi centre on Wednesday, operations were performed on around 24 dogs, in which one was a lactating mother. They are focusing 70% on male dogs and around 30% on female dogs, because surgeries on male ones are less risky. More focus should be given to female dogs.”
N Maheshwaran, an activist, said Tambaram centres lack weighing machines and blood testing, adding, the one in Anakaputhur is in poor condition. “The operation is performed in a shed with no required facilities. It is unhygienic,” he said, adding several dogs have died post surgery, with stitches coming off, intestines exposed and infections such as canine distemper. Activists also shared photos and videos of affected dogs with TNIE.
The activists further alleged feeders, rescuers and they themselves are not allowed inside the centres. Tambaram corporation commissioner S Balachander said he would check on the recognition certificate, and maintained that norms are being followed, adding 7,000 surgeries were completed in the past year and 44,000 vaccinations done in three months.
Avadi corporation commissioner R Saranya questioned the veracity of the claims made by the activists, and asserted all procedures and certifications are in place.