Appoint officers for stray animal plaints: North Goa collector

Panaji: The North Goa collector has asked the directorate of municipal administration and the directorate of panchayats to each appoint a nodal officer to coordinate complaints that the District Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) receives.

The DSPCA said that while the police are quick to respond to complaints, stakeholders find it challenging to get the same level of cooperation from panchayats or municipal bodies. “A decision was taken to ask the two departments to appoint nodal officers at the rank of deputy director to assist complainants,” said North Goa collector Ankit Yadav.

Yadav also said that there is a significant lack of awareness about the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and the process to file complaints. “We have decided to tie up with the education department to hold awareness drives in schools,” said Yadav.

This was the annual general meeting of the DSPCA where the audited accounts were presented. The members also reviewed the complaints received in the last 12 months along with works that were executed. DSPCA (north) attends to all cases of animal cruelty. It also mediates in cases involving feeder harassment issues with resident welfare associations and housing societies to find feeding spots in coordination with other departments.