The Hindu 12.04.2013
Corporation looks at burial grounds for dog shelters
Lack of suitable space for dog shelters has forced the Chennai Corporation to earmark excess space in burial grounds for construction of the facilities.
As many as 15 dog shelters are likely to be constructed in the first phase. Each of the zones will have one dog shelter each.
Space near burial grounds such as Kannamapet will have a model dog shelter. The civic body has around 34 burial grounds including the facilities in Mullai Nagar of Vysarpadi, Melpatti Ponnappa Mudali Street in Perambur, Brick Kiln Road in Otteri, Koyambedu, Arumbakkam, New Avadi Road in Velangadu, Krishnampet, Ekkattuthangal, Kolathur, Kottur, Nelson Manickam Road in Nungambakkam, Kodungaiyur, Thiruvanmiyur and Saidapet.
Zonal-level officials have started identification of suitable space in burial grounds to prepare an action plan for the project. The design of the shelters will be uniform and guidelines will soon be formulated for their management. At least 12,500 sq ft of land is likely to be earmarked in each burial ground for the dog shelters.
“Most burial grounds are away from prime residential neighbourhoods. So, the dog shelters in burial grounds will not bother residents,” said an official.
The civic body had recently initiated various efforts to control dog menace. It procured eight new vehicles for animal birth control measures in the city as many residents reported stray dog menace.
The civic body will also strengthen animal birth control programme.
After the expansion of the city limits, the number of calls made to the helpline for dog control continues to increase.
Apart from stray dog control, the civic body is also planning to regularise pet shops.
The Corporation Council, in its next meeting, will make decisions in this regard.
The inclusion of pet shops in the list of trades will reinforce existing mechanisms of ensuring minimum standards of sanitation and methods of operations.
The unregulated breeding of pets has contributed to the rise in stray dog menace. Many breeders are found to abandon dogs after finding them commercially unviable. This has been a source of civic problems.
At least 12,500 sq. feet of land is likely to be earmarked in each ground for the facilities.
