The Hindu 14.02.2014
South Delhi to get 32 new vans to impound stray dogs
4,600 cases of dog bites registered at SDMC hospitals in 2013
The over 4,000 instances of dog attacks in South Delhi last year seem to have spurred the civic body into action.
Tired of waiting for years to get land for setting up a hospital dedicated to dogs, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Wednesday announced that 32 new vans would be procured to impound, immunise and sterilise stray dogs.
“There were approximately 4,600 cases of dog bites registered at SDMC hospitals in 2013,” SDMC spokesperson Mukesh Yadav said.
The Leader of the House in the SDMC, Subhash Arya, said: “We are not getting land from the the Delhi Development Authority to establish a dog hospital, so we are engaging vans to solve the problem of stray dogs.”
“We have been waiting to get land for three to four years, so now we’ve come up with an alternative solution,” explained Mr. Yadav.
The project is likely to get a Rs.5-crore allocation in the civic body’s budget, which will be announced on Friday, said Mr. Yadav.
Through the allocation in the 2014-2015 budget, the civic body aims to sterilise 1,30,000 dogs.
Mr. Arya said 24 vans will be put into service to impound stray dogs and eight more will be equipped with facilities for immunising and sterilising them.
After immunisation and sterilisation, the dogs will be released back to the spot from where they were picked up, added Mr. Arya.
Meanwhile, PETA India CEO Poorva Joshipura said: “There are millions of stray dogs struggling to survive on Indian streets. Many of these animals go hungry, are hit by cars, illegally poisoned or abused by cruel people in other ways.”
Ms. Joshipura explained that sterilised dogs live healthier lives and are less likely to bite.
“PETA supports effective and humane sterilisation efforts, in which the dogs are handled with kindness and after sterilisation returned to where they were found,” added Ms. Joshipura.