MUMBAI: Animal welfare activists from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and other areas in Maharashtra have urged various bodies such as Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), and local and civic authorities of the temple town of Shirdi, Ahmednagar district, to ensure that the local stray dogs are not harmed or illegally relocated ahead of prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Shirdi on October 26.
Activists said that earlier during the visit of President of India, Droupadi Murmu, many community dogs around the temple complex were removed. Hence, the feeders and activists are worried that more dogs may be relocated for Modi’s visit later this week.
“In 2017, when the then president of India, Ram Nath Kovind, was scheduled to visit the Shirdi temple, the Ahmednagar district administration had formally announced that the stray dogs along the airport road will be removed as part of the bandobast for the president’s visit. Many animal activists had objected to it, and PETA India had also written to the Shirdi municipal body and the district collector; hence, the relocation plan was cancelled at that time,” said an activist.
The honorary animal welfare officer and member of the high court appointed committee to monitor animal welfare laws in Maharashtra (subject for renewal), Dr Nandini Kulkarni, told TOI, “Going by the recent past incidents of how the stray dogs were forcibly removed from their original place, there is clear cut danger for the local Shirdi dogs. A few videos of how some of the dogs were caught and transported out in a vehicle can also be seen on social networking sites. Hence, I have also written to the prime minister’s office and the Ahmednagar district officials to please see that the dogs are not hurt or relocated during Modi’s visit later this month. It is illegal and cruel to relocate dogs.”
Dr Kulkarni further added, “Sterilization of the stray dogs, as part of Animal Birth Control (ABC) measure, is the only legal and human way to control dog population. Hence, the Shirdi municipality, along with the influential temple trust there must undertake a scientific dog sterilization drive at Shirdi.”
However, a local activist informed that while a tender for ABC dog sterilizations was announced earlier this year, no company or NGO has still been awarded the contract to do this job. Hence, the Shirdi dogs are very vulnerable to illegal relocations, especially during such VIP visits.
PETA India activist Meet Ashar (Cruelty Case Division Legal Advisor and Manager), commented, “In a Maan Ki Baat broadcast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke favourably of desi dogs, and of course all animals are created by God. Removing them from temple surroundings would be cruel and illegal but also stand in contradiction of religious teachings to care for all living beings. We urge the Shirdi administration once again, as we have successfully in the past, to adhere to Animal Birth Control Rules that make displacement illegal, and that require sterilisation to control dog populations.”
Meanwhile, Dr Kulkarni has also appealed to other animal activists to send online messages on Twitter and Facebook on this matter, in order to pressurize the government to expedite the process of dog sterilizations in Shirdi, and thereby curb animal cruelty.
Activists said that earlier during the visit of President of India, Droupadi Murmu, many community dogs around the temple complex were removed. Hence, the feeders and activists are worried that more dogs may be relocated for Modi’s visit later this week.
“In 2017, when the then president of India, Ram Nath Kovind, was scheduled to visit the Shirdi temple, the Ahmednagar district administration had formally announced that the stray dogs along the airport road will be removed as part of the bandobast for the president’s visit. Many animal activists had objected to it, and PETA India had also written to the Shirdi municipal body and the district collector; hence, the relocation plan was cancelled at that time,” said an activist.
The honorary animal welfare officer and member of the high court appointed committee to monitor animal welfare laws in Maharashtra (subject for renewal), Dr Nandini Kulkarni, told TOI, “Going by the recent past incidents of how the stray dogs were forcibly removed from their original place, there is clear cut danger for the local Shirdi dogs. A few videos of how some of the dogs were caught and transported out in a vehicle can also be seen on social networking sites. Hence, I have also written to the prime minister’s office and the Ahmednagar district officials to please see that the dogs are not hurt or relocated during Modi’s visit later this month. It is illegal and cruel to relocate dogs.”
Dr Kulkarni further added, “Sterilization of the stray dogs, as part of Animal Birth Control (ABC) measure, is the only legal and human way to control dog population. Hence, the Shirdi municipality, along with the influential temple trust there must undertake a scientific dog sterilization drive at Shirdi.”
However, a local activist informed that while a tender for ABC dog sterilizations was announced earlier this year, no company or NGO has still been awarded the contract to do this job. Hence, the Shirdi dogs are very vulnerable to illegal relocations, especially during such VIP visits.
PETA India activist Meet Ashar (Cruelty Case Division Legal Advisor and Manager), commented, “In a Maan Ki Baat broadcast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke favourably of desi dogs, and of course all animals are created by God. Removing them from temple surroundings would be cruel and illegal but also stand in contradiction of religious teachings to care for all living beings. We urge the Shirdi administration once again, as we have successfully in the past, to adhere to Animal Birth Control Rules that make displacement illegal, and that require sterilisation to control dog populations.”
Meanwhile, Dr Kulkarni has also appealed to other animal activists to send online messages on Twitter and Facebook on this matter, in order to pressurize the government to expedite the process of dog sterilizations in Shirdi, and thereby curb animal cruelty.
