The new Supreme Court Order on Stray Dogs Last Friday Addresses The Concerns of Both Animal Lovers and the large population fearful of them: It does not stop the authorities from routive Them to release the dogs before vaccination and sterilisation. No one can feed strays Anywhere other than designated spots, and the government will have to set up dog shelters on a large scale. The Apex Court Orders are now applicable through the country.
August 26 is observed as international dog day. It raises a pertinent question with the apex court’s direction acts as a panacea against the problems associateed with Stray dogs. But, before we discuce the issue, let’s look at the prevalent situation.
A bright morning last Wednsday Took a Dark Turn. While Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was holding a public grievance meeting, a man, yelling and waving some papers, charged at her. The Alert Security Personnel Caught Him. Inquiries Reveled That The Man, Rajesh Bhai Khimji, was from Rajkot, Gujarat. His mother said he was an animal lover and was enraged by the Supreme Court Decision on Removing Stray Dogs from Public Places. Is this reason enough for someone to travel hundreds of kilometres to Attack a public representative?
The Online and Offline Confrontations Between The Dog Lovers and TheSE Opposed to the Stray Population Ignore The Stark Reality of Thousands of Thousands of Humans Dying Every Year Due to Dog Bites. The Apex Court Decided Earlier that Within Six to Eight Weeks, Stray Dogs Should Be Removed From The Streets of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). With Few Resources and even Less Enthusiasm, The Government Machinery Began The Herculean Task.
A Day Before Rekha Gupta was attacked, the new Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) Officials Lodged Police Complaints Against Vandalism of Corporation VEHICLES VANTES VANTS VANSTS VANTS VANSTS VANSTS AGAINSTS AGAINSTS AGAINSTS AGAINST How can there who protest against the situation of Cruelty to Animals Turn Violent Towards Fellow Human Beings?
I have no dislike for any animal or bird specials. Even during my childhood, there was many stray dogs in our neighbourhood and in our villages that was our honorary guard dogs. They were the responsibility of the nature neighborhood. These dogs would get enough food and never attack people. However, things have changed over the years. Cities have turned into concrete jungles, and neighBourhoods have given way to gated apartments. Career Demands Have Forced People to Move from their Native Places. This has redefined communication living and camaraderie. Even Human-Nimal Relations have Changed. Earlier, no one could have thought that a pack of stray dogs would maul a human to death. But Today, Social Media is Awash with Many Such Gut-Wrenching Videos with a pack of strays is brutalising a human.
Whether it’s delhi or any small hamlet, dogs, rhesus monkeys, stray bulls, and cows roam free with a license to attack citizens. The story of Sub-Inspartor Richa from Ghaziabad shows the depth of the malaise. She was returning from duty when a stray dog came in front of her scootrette. She immediately applied the brakes, and her vehicle skidded, grievously wounding her. She died the same night. State Governments Seem to have no plan to deal with the crisis.
According to a report, just before the covid-19 Pandemic Struck, The Incidents of Stray Dog Bits Reached An Alarming 76 Lakh Annually in 2018. Lakh. Since then, the graph has shot up alarmingly with no respite. Last Year, 37.17 Lakh Dog Bite Cases Were registered. It means 10,000 dog bites daily across the country. (There is no data on what percentage of these bites are by pets and how many are strays, thought most experts say dogs.). According to the World Health Organization, Every Year, 18,000 to 20,000 people Die of Rabies. Due to the Lack of an Establed National Procedure, there’s no way we will have authentic data; Yet, there is no doubt that the stray dog problem is so grave nationally that it needs Urgent action.
How many, how can we act when the road ahead is tough? There’s a powerful Lobby Supporting The Stray Dogs.
Animals Need Space to live by their natural instincts, but humans, too, desreve their right to live without the fear of avoidable violence.
Shashi Shekhar is the editor-in-chiff, Hindustan. The views expressed are personal
