CHENNAI: Two weeks after the Corporation took over the city's Animal Birth Control programme from NGOs, activists are upset with unsanitary post-op care conditions and want the Corporation to clean up their act. "We want to take this matter directly to the Supreme Court and get a stay order to stall any more Animal Birth Control (ABC) operations by the Corporation, until they fix these problems," said S Muralidharan, managing trustee, Indian Centre for Animal Rights and Education.
This comes only a few days after a landmark ruling made by the Supreme Court that all states in India are to sterilise their stray dogs under the supervision of the Animal Welfare Board of India.
In a bid to curb the rising number of stray dogs in the city - the Corporation had worked in collaboration with NGOs like the Blue Cross of India and People for Animals (PFA). However, having now completely taken over the operations for neutering in Chennai, distributed among a few pounds in the city and 15 veterinarians - activists claim that the 'overload' in numbers and unhygienic post-op care conditions could be the reason for untimely deaths of otherwise healthy dogs.
To make their voices heard, close to 40 activists staged a protest outside the Corporation pound on Lloyds Road in Royapettah on Friday, and went on to file a complaint on grounds of animal cruelty with the Mylapore Deputy Commissioner of Police, V Balakrishnan. The protest was sparked after word got around on social media that four dogs that had been picked up healthy, were allegedly dead due to kennel crowding and the unhygenic conditions in the pound.
When contacted for comment, a Corporation official refuted the allegation. "No dogs have passed away recently. And if anyone feels our conditions are unsanitary, they are free to step in anytime and check," said the official.
In lieu of the complaint, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) sent a member to inspect the premises on Lloyds Road, in Royapetta on Friday. But details of the inspection will only be revealed next week, said an AWBI member. "We can only release details of our report once it has been approved by our Chairman," he said.