Date:01/02/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/01/stories/2007020121810300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Animal Birth Control scheme is unscientific'

Staff Reporter

Stray Dog Free Bangalore says the programme is not effective

`Animal rights groups have no system to identify rabid dogs'

`They should be accountable for dog bite cases'

BANGALORE: Members of the Stray Dog-Free Bangalore on Wednesday came down heavily on the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme and termed it "unscientific."

Animal welfare organisations should be accountable for the increasing number of dog bite cases in the city. These groups cannot be part of the stray dog control programme as "they conduct the sterilisation programme without holding themselves responsible for the dog bites," vice-president of the organisation S. Krishnaswamy said.

Addressing presspersons, Prof. Krishnaswamy said it was ridiculous that the BBMP had partnered with animal welfare groups to implement the ABC programme, which is meant to control stray canine population.

Pointing out that public health issues such as control of stray dogs were one of the obligatory duties of a municipal body, Prof. Krishnaswamy said there would definitely be a clash of interests in such an exercise.

Loopholes

Vathsala Dhananjay, member of Stray Dog Free Bangalore, said there were inherent loopholes in the ABC programme.

Pointing out that the animal welfare groups had no system for identifying a rabid dog or a ferocious dog before its bites people, she said: "It is only after several complaints are received from the public that the welfare groups come and take away the rabid dog, sterilise it and leave it back in the same area."