TIRUPPUR: The Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board has written a letter to the Municipal Administration Director to take action against a private NGO engaged in animal birth control surgeries and related activities in Tiruppur Corporation, alleging that they do not follow proper guidelines. However, Tiruppur Corporation officials said the NGO's performance is good and an average of 15 stray dogs are treated daily.
SP Amrith, Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services and the Member Secretary of TN Animal Welfare Board, in his recent letter to Director of Municipal Administration, said, "The TN Animal Welfare Board has received 17 formal complaints against the NGO 'Prani Mithran', which is carrying out Animal Birth Control (ABC) surgeries and related activities, between January 2023 and January 2026. These complaints specifically allege cruel and improperly conducted surgeries, mutilation of animals, gross negligence in post-operative care, and multiple deaths of animals and instances of non-compliance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023."
The letter added, "The inspection reports received from the District Animal Welfare Officer, TNAWB and the Regional Joint Director, Tiruppur from the Animal Husbandry Department, show serious irregularities in the ABC centre operated by the above said NGO. It has been reported that during the inspection, the NGO representatives did not permit the inspecting officials to enter the premises and allegedly used unparliamentary language against government officials, thereby obstructing the discharge of their official duties."
The letter urged that immediate and appropriate action be taken against the NGO as per law, including suspension of engagement or permission to carry out the ABC programme with the Municipal Corporations under Rule 5 of the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023.
Tiruppur Corporation Mayor N Dinesh Kumar said, "We had already given this task to another NGO. Since they were not performing properly, we recently gave this task to the NGO 'Prani Mithran'. We are not aware of any shortcomings in their service. However, we will verify current complaints."
A senior official of the Tiruppur Corporation said, "There are more than 15,000 stray dogs in the 60 wards of the corporation. Currently, an average of 15 stray dogs are treated under the ABC scheme. Prani Mithran also carries out these tasks in Coimbatore and Hosur. We don't know if there are any complaints against them in those cities. There are no complaints in Tiruppur. They have five doctors and enough staff. The previous NGO did not have enough doctors, because of which they were not involved in ABC tasks."
MP Amith, Commissioner of Tiruppur Corporation, said, "I did not receive any letter or instructions related to the letter from the TNAWB. If I receive any such letter, I will investigate."