In an attempt to control stray dog menace, the Mandya City Municipal
Council (CMC) has decided to catch all the stray dogs in and around the
city and let them out in the forest                         areas.

The
decision, which was taken in Wednesday’s council meeting, clearly
violates the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Sources said shifting the
stray dogs into the forest would endanger other wild animals.

All
35 councillors said that they are ready to go to jail or lose their
membership for supporting the decision to release the stray dogs in to
the forest. During the meeting, JD (S) councillor M J Chikkanna said
that the CMC has failed to control the menace, resulting in the public
being regularly attacked.

He also cited examples of how stray dogs from Srirangaptna and Pandavapura were caught and released in to the forest.

CMC
President B Siddaraju said the civic body had stopped transporting
stray dogs to the forest areas due due to intervention from animal
rights organisations.  Councillor Ravindra said, “If we wait for a
decision, it will take another few years and by then the term of the
council will be over.”

CMC Commissioner Dasegowda said there are around 5,000 stray dogs in the city.

Dog
catchers from K R Nagar were earlier given the job of leaving the dogs
in forest, but due to protests from animal activists that was stopped. 

“We
have identified five forest areas  near Muthathi, Kiranduru, Melkote
and Chamarajanagar border  where the dogs can be shifted,” he said.