MC packs 15 old, sterilised dogs into sterilisation unit

Chandigarh: About 15 stray dogs, mostly old, partially deaf and blind, were reportedly picked and packed into a sterilising facility run by the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh at Raipur Kalan, Makhanmajra.On April 12, when Payal Puri from Manimajra went to Shivalik Garden in the afternoon, she found all the 15 dogs she feeds were missing."Upon enquiring, I was told that the MC van came in the morning and mercilessly shoved these old dogs into their van and detained them at Raipur Kalan," Payal, who, along with some other residents of the area, feeds them regularly, said. "All these dogs are sterilised and vaccinated, so there's no ground for MC to pick them up," she added.On reaching the facility, Payal and her mother, who stood outside the gate for six hours, well past midnight, were refused entry to see the dogs.Dr Ravinder S Dhaliwal, superintendent, medical officer of health, said, "We acted on the complaint published in a Hindi newspaper quoting some residents. We are pressured by residents who feel unsafe while walking in that park. The residents approached us to take pre-emptive measures by picking up these dogs in the fear that they may bite them someday." However, there is no official complaint lodged in nearby police stations or with the MC, of any dog bite cases in the garden.Monica Sachdeva, veteran in animal rescues who runs Kabila, an NGO for animals, called the MC exercise a mockery of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, PCA, 1960. "Unless dogs are rabid, dangerous, and there is a formal complaint, how can they pick up dogs, that too 15 of them! This is illegal according to the PCA Act, which clearly states dogs cannot be picked unless there's a formal complaint or they have to be sterilised. And all these dogs are sterilised. This action is cruel for these animals, who at that old age are being subjected to a new environment."After the intervention of Maneka Gandhi on Sunday morning, the dog feeder was allowed to see her dogs inside the facility. "This is absolutely illegal," Maneka said, adding, "Dogs barking is hardly a reason to detain them. That's what dogs do, they bark to protect their territory. I've spoken to the MC commissioner. He has said these dogs will be released back into their area."