MCD & few ABC centres relocating sterilised dogs, allege animal lovers

A couple of animal welfare NGOs are illegally picking up strays, including neutered dogs and puppies, from across Delhi and relocating them on the pretext of sterilisation and vaccination, animal rights activists have alleged.

This is despite the Supreme Court on Friday scaling back its earlier order on street dog management and directing municipal bodies in Delhi-NCR to release all strays back to their original locations post-sterilisation.

TOI has learnt from reliable sources that some 15-20 strays were picked up from near AIIMS on Thursday night by MCD and released in the jungles of Chattarpur.

Similarly, an ABC centre run by Sarvodya Sevabhavi NGO in Rohini, has picked up 200 dogs, many of them puppies, in the past few days on the pretext of sterilisation, according to animal rights activists.

In fact, a number of videos went viral on social media late on Friday night showing cops trying to control a crowd of animal lovers demanding access to the Rohini ABC centre alleging cruel treatment of strays brought in for sterilisation.

"This ABC centre picked up as many as 200 strays, including a number of sterilised dogs and puppies, from across Delhi soon after the SC order on Friday morning," said Shalini Singh, an animal lover.

Dr Rajeev, who runs the ABC centre, however, refuted the allegations. "We will release all the dogs caught for sterilisation, post-surgery. The puppies roaming around are those abandoned by people," he told TOI.

Meanwhile, animal rights activists are demanding the immediate removal of a senior official of MCD who they allege "is pressurising few ABC centres to catch and relocate strays".

Per a letter addressed to Delhi CM, in possession of TOI, noted animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi has flagged a corruption case -- Ghogha Dairy Colony bogus allotments -- as well as Delhi HC's adverse remarks against the official, currently in charge of MCD's rabies control programme.

Despite repeated attempts, the official concerned could not be contacted.