NEW DELHI: Is the scary rape phenomenon also indirectly putting animals in danger? With the change in the government’s drug policy, drugs required for conducting veterinary surgeries, including sterilisation, are in short supply. This includes Ketamin, an anaesthetic that is also used as a painkiller, and called the date rape drug after cases of rampant misuse surfaced. Diazepam, used to treat anxiety and Phenobarbitone, which acts as an anticonvulsant is also in shortage, as a result of a ban on their imports. With the rampant increase in the street dog population as well as the rise in dog bite cases, the medicine scarcity is causing a crisis. The present stock in most hospitals is exhausted.
Ketamine was included in the list of psychotropic substances under the National Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Its shift now to the stringent schedule X has stopped its sale. As per the new amendment, chemists wanting to sell ketamine will have to seek special license from the FDA and maintain detailed records, including contact details of buyers, for two years.
Sumati, a volunteer with People for Animals (PFA) branch said, “The scarcity of the drug is leading to great difficulty for us as we are not able to conduct surgeries especially sterilisation of dogs. We have exhausted all our stock as of now. We have asked the government to give us more supply but haven’t heard from them again.” As per the data available, there are 8,000 stray dogs in the capital and as many as 50-60 calls are made to several NGOS and government hospitals for accident or rescue calls.
C P Bhardwaj, an animal activist and veterinary doctor treating street dogs said, “The scarcity of the drug is leading to great problems. No dog can either be sterilised nor operated for other diseases that require surgery. Failing to get the female dogs sterilised on time is leading to increasing their population by almost 50 per cent.”
A bitch gives birth to four to five pups every six months. If not sterilised within six months, chances of conception again are high, leading to a phenomenal rise in their population. The drug scarcity has led to blatant profiteering. A volunteer who did not wish to be named said, “Since the drug has been banned, those who have it in stock are asking for exorbitant charges for it. A 10 ml vial which is sufficient for sterilisation of one dog usually cost nearly `400 but now the same is available for `3,000.”