Delhi lacks infra to ensure shelters as SC issues order to relocate stray dogs

Indian Express

6 hours ago

Even as the Supreme Court on Monday directed the government, civic bodies and authorities in Delhi-NCR to relocate stray dogs from streets to shelters, the Capital lacks government infrastructure to accommodate thousands of strays in the city.
With no dedicated shelters, the NGOs — that have tied up with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to run animal birth control (ABC) sterilisation centres — appear to be clueless on the implementation of the order.
An official of Animal India Trust, a nonprofit that has a sterilisation centre in South Delhi's Lajpat Nagar, termed the order as very 'unfortunate'.
'I don't see how this is even possible. From where will the MCD arrange its fund when all they have been giving the NGOs like us is only Rs 1,000 per stray — from catching a stray till the time it has been released after spaying,' the official, pleading anonymity, said.
The NGO's sterilisation centre, which has been operating since the last 23 years in Jal Vihar Colony, can only accommodate a maximum of 400 dogs at a time and manage around 100 surgeries a month.
The official said that the ABC approach alone won't help, but a fresh survey is needed. The last dog census was carried out by the MCD in 2016.
Last month, following a key meeting, the civic body had said that the Capital would see a stray dog count soon.
The official said, 'We have urged the government and corporation multiple times to organise programmes to educate people about stray dogs, but they don't bother to listen. A dog never bites without provocation and hence people need to be educated.'
'This move — which the SC has directed — cannot happen overnight and is not feasible in both short term and long term… this is a suicidal step,' the official underlined.
Bandana Sen Gupta, Founder, Sonadi Charitable Trust, another nonprofit, questioned whether the ABC programme is going to stop completely.
'How can this decision be taken without any arrangements in advance. What will we do if in the coming days even 20-25 dogs stand in front of our centre, we have no space to accommodate them? Many people have already called me expressing their fear,' she said,
The NGO's centre, running for the last 26 years in Najafgarh in West Delhi, can shelter a maximum of up to 360 dogs. It has 100 dogs at present.
'Dogs which come here have various types of diseases such as canine distemper, rabies, parvo and some undergoing treatment. How do all the unwell and fit dogs stay together?' she asked.
The New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) runs two veterinary hospitals and two ABC sterilisation centres along with two nonprofits.
According to one of the doctors at the hospital, one centre has been closed for some time now.
'As per the NDMC, no cases of rabies have been reported till now for this year,' claimed an official.