Beware! Dumping Stray Dogs Is A Crime!
Stray dog menace is a common social problem. Every day, we hear cases of dog bites. People who travel at night or work in the wee hours like milkmen or auto drivers are most prone to the threats of dog menace. According to a study, there are 1.60 lac stray dogs in Mumbai. Annually, 4,000 to 5,000 people become victims of dog attacks! Surprisingly, despite such chilling facts, killing stray dogs is a crime and, what’s more, ‘dumping’ dogs outside the city limits is also a crime!!!
Besides the ordinary citizens, even the BMC is not permitted to take any cruel action against stray dogs. According to the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 enacted under the Indian Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 (A Central Act), street dogs cannot be beaten, killed or driven away or displaced or re-located. The BMC can pick stray dogs from any area on complaints by residents of the area, but they cannot be harsh to the dogs. As per Indian laws, the BMC is only allowed to sterilize a dog and, after vaccination, return the dogs to their original locations.
Confirming about the Animal Act, a BMC employee said, “It is true that under the Indian Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, BMC does not have the authority to re-locate a dog from its original habitat. In case if we get a complaint of dog annoyance from residents then we pick the dogs from that particular area. We sterilize and vaccinate them. Later, we give them to animal lovers to care for the dog for 7 to 10 days. After the stipulated period, we have to send back the dogs to the same area from where we had picked them.”
Throwing more light on the dumping of the dogs outside city limits, the BMC official said, “We are strictly prohibited to re-locate a dog from its original place where it has been born. In case a citizen tries to dump the stray dogs at a deserted place, then according to the Indian Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the police can register a case u/s 428 and429of IPC. The punishment can be a 5-year jail term for causing torture to animals.”
Defending the rights of dogs, an animal enthusiast said, “Just as we take care of our fellow human beings, likewise we must take care of dogs. After all, dogs are regarded as the most faithful and best friend of human beings!” He added, “The reason behind re-locating dogs is that it interferes and jeopardizes the BMC record of area-wise sterilization program as mandated by law.”
An affectionate of animal activist, Advocate Nisha Sunanda told Home Times, “Nobody has the right to dump dogs from their original habitat as it has an adverse impact on them. Due to such instances, these dogs become ill-tempered and start attacking pedestrians or people on bikes.”
It may be noted that these days there has been a rise in cruelty to stray dogs. According to an NGO Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) in the last five years, there have been 19,028 animal cruelty cases registered with the Mumbai police. But there have been no arrests or convictions! In Mulund, too, there have been many dog cruelty cases registered against people.
