The Times of India               07.12.2013

PMC’s canine sterilisation was on hold for 5 months

PUNE: The civic body's dog sterilization programme was stuck for five months this year, with the civic body awarding the tender to carry out the task only in September.

While the civic body floated the tenders for the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme in April, it awarded the contracts in September this year, said Darshana Mazumdar, coordinator for the Pune Federation of Animal Protection Organizations (PFAPO). She said the long gap in the programme had undone a lot of what had achieved.

"Yes, there were some delays in the process, because it had to be retendered," said Anjali Sabane, deputy medical officer of health, Pune Municipal Corporation, who claimed that the system was functioning smoothly now.

Sabane said Rs 70 lakh was allocated for the programme this year, nearly double of previous years' allocation. The infrastructure has also been improved. Two additional dog-catching vans have been pressed into service.

Currently, sterilization are carried out at two shelters — the dog pound near the Naidu Infectious Diseases Hospital and the Blue Cross Society's facility in Mundwa.

Activists said citizens need to get involved to make their neighbourhoods safe. Sushma Date, who has organized a citizens' initiative in Deccan Gymkhana and got 270 dogs sterilized in two years, said people should help dog-catchers identify dogs in their area.