Activists hit the road to save stray dogs

Animal activists, theatre personalities, singers and students came together under the banner of Coordination Committee in Defence of Animals (CCDA) on Saturday to protest against the alleged killing of street dogs and other strays ahead of the Commonwealth Games.“It is time Delhi formed an animal army to protest the clandestine murders of voiceless animals,” animal rights activist Ambika Shukla said. The protesters had gathered at the Jantar Mantar for the rally called United for Animals.“Suddenly, Delhi’s dogs are missing in large numbers. Police should act against people who harass or abuse those feeding and taking care of stray animals,” CCDA co-convenor Hiranmay Karlekar said.

The protesters also criticised the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for “cleansing the Capital of stray dogs”. “The civic body’s action violates the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2001, which says stray dogs can be taken for sterilisation and vaccination against rabies but need to be returned to the locality from where they were taken,” Anjali Sharma, a lawyer with the Animal Welfare Board of India, said.

Rallyists alleged that against the Delhi High Court verdict that upheld the right of the citizens to feed stray animals, dog lovers are stopped by the security guards from feeding the animal. “Fraudulent complaints are made when dogs are vaccinated and sterilised,” Sukjinder Kaur of Prasar Bharti said.

The protesters demanded civic action against the “policy to make urban spaces animal-free zones”. “Don’t cleanse Delhi’s streets with canine blood,” a young group of dog lovers from Jawaharlal Nehru University said.