A group of concerned citizens and animal welfare volunteers held a peaceful demonstration in Chandigarh's Sector 17 on Saturday. They were protesting against what they allege are illegal dog-catching operations conducted by the Municipal Corporation (MC).
Allegations of Unlawful Drives and Seizures
The organisers of the protest stated that participants raised serious concerns about late-night dog-catching drives. These drives were reportedly carried out in several parts of the city, including Sector 17, Sector 22, the Industrial Area, and Sector 38.
Protesters alleged that healthy and sterilised community dogs were being picked up without any prior public notice, written complaints, or disclosure of reasons. They maintained that such actions directly violate Supreme Court directions and the established Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules. These rules specify that sterilised community dogs should not be removed from their territories unless specific, exceptional conditions are met.
Concerns Over Facility Misuse and Lack of Transparency
A key issue highlighted was the alleged transfer of some seized dogs to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) facility in Chandigarh. The protesters argued that the SPCA is meant primarily for the treatment of injured or sick animals, not for housing healthy dogs for extended periods.
They pointed to existing resource constraints at the facility, warning that the presence of healthy dogs could strain arrangements meant for crucial medical care. The demonstration brought several other systemic issues to light:
- The absence of a dedicated shelter facility in the city.
- A lack of publicly available data on the number of dogs picked up and their whereabouts.
- Alleged restrictions on citizens attempting to document the catching drives.
List of Demands Submitted to Authorities
The organisers submitted a formal list of demands to the authorities. Their primary call was for an immediate halt to what they term illegal dog catching. They also demanded:
- Public disclosure of all records related to dogs taken by the authorities.
- Access for citizens to verify the condition of the animals held in facilities.
- The release of dogs allegedly picked up in violation of the ABC rules.
The protest underscores growing public scrutiny over municipal animal control methods and a push for greater adherence to legal frameworks and transparency in Chandigarh.
