Dog sterilisation: Youtube videos by Canadian irks AMC

The Ahmedabad civic body has taken umbrage at the way a Canadian national has sought to lobby for Animal Help Foundation (AHF) — a private agency engaged in sterilisation of stray dogs — by posting videos of dog catching operations in the city, on Youtube.

The municipal corporation (AMC) has decided to file a defamation case against Lisa Warden and a complaint for causing obstruction to government work.

Municipal Commissioner I P Gautam, who was irked by an email sent by Warden, said, “As long as I am around, no one will be allowed to dictate terms and make the AMC bow to any outside pressure.”

Warden has earned the AMC’s ire for “taking law into her own hands” by snatching equipment from dog control squads.

Gautam said that under the pretext of objecting to catching of dogs by iron tongs instead of nets, she was lobbying for AHF and wanted the AMC staff to be trained in catching dogs under AHF. He said this would not be allowed.

He said, at the AMC Standing Committee meeting on Thursday, it was decided to urge the state government to depute at least two veterinary doctors to train the civic staff. The AMC top brass suspects AHF’s hand in Warden’s actions so that she pressurises the Corporation to accept its high-priced sterilisation programme. 

In a recent email to the AMC, Warden wrote: “You can have Mr Ganji Chaudhary meet me on or before Sunday, June 13 at 6pm to relinquish every set of tongs owned or used by the CNCD (Cattle Nuisance Control Department), along with a signed agreement (provided by me) stating that AMC agrees never to use tongs again or to dislocate dogs.”

It further stated: “At the same time, he should also arrange for all AMC dog catching vans to be driven to Gyaspur and parked for safe keeping at AHF, and the keys relinquished to me.

He will get his keys back once all your dog catchers successfully pass the net training programme, which I understand has been offered by AHF. Until your dog catchers are trained in legal, humane methods of capturing dogs, and until they agree to cease the dumping and dislocation of dogs, AMC must cease its dog catching drives with immediate effect.” Chaudhary heads CNCD.

AMC sources, meanwhile said, that AHF was earlier assigned the task, which it left midway and went to Bangalore and Delhi for dog sterilisation work.

They said that as AHF’s work in other cities has finished, they are again looking at Ahmedabad for work, adding that they are insisting on a payment of Rs 500 per dog.

Warden has also pointed out that with the prevailing dog control method, the city might lose its claim to be listed as a UNESCO world heritage city.