IF WE HAVE A HEADACHE, THE SOLUTION IS NOT TO CUT THE HEAD OFF.
DEAR HONORABLE JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
Subject: Your verdict on Stray Dogs
“ The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”. Mahatma Gandhi .
There are reportedly about 1 million stray dogs in Delhi/NCR and approximately 300,000 in Delhi city. Assuming they will be sent to empty uninhabited spaces for construction of theseanimal shelters ( “ detention centers” effectively), on a bare minimum, we will need 300 shelters for 1000 dogs per shelter ( for Delhi alone). How many do we currently have of this scale and magnitude? Probably none. Ideally, there should be only 50 dogs per shelter at a maximum, which will require20,000 shelters ( Delhi plus NCR). Micro-shelters, approximately 25 dogs per shelter, is ideal. Do you honestly believe that it can be accomplished by the Delhi government in 8 weeks? I think it is impossible, a ridiculous ask. Moreover, how can one confine an animal in a gated boundary for life which runs, plays, walks and seeks human contact all over the place every day on its own natural instinct ? Is that not cruel? It is like caging a free bird by clipping its wings. Is that fair? Why are dogs the most popular attraction at international airports as “therapy dogs”? Because they reduce passenger stress which many flyers suffer from. Should we deprive children and communities the experience of having friendly dogs in their neighborhood? Sure, there must be preventive steps to ensure that the dogs are not infected and aggressive, but shouldn’t we be addressing that? If we get a headache, the solution is not to cut the head off, surely.
The easier and simpler solution is to tell the local municipal authorities to work together with NGO’s and dog adoption groups to vaccinate/inoculate/sterilize the dogs, as the case might be. Maintaining a data bank and ensuring that the same is done periodically is not rocket science. All it needs is a process, and execution. And of course, financial budgets. That could solve the problem of dog bites leading to rabies etc. A robust system that monitors the stray dog population with various groups (area-wise) taking accountability is the best way forward. The government can allocate budgets to these NGOs and groups who are passionately dedicated to this cause. But this cannot be an overnight 8 week slap-dash marathon to reach an imaginary goal. It requires a whole structural design and operational management manual. It has to be like a hospital project for us humans. Nothing less will do. Corporate CSR support will be the key, in my opinion, but these things will take time.
As many of us are animal and dog lovers, we would appreciate a transparent blueprint of how and when your order will be executed. Have the state budgets been earmarked for this purpose? Is there is a political will to do it? We do not want the stray dogs to be abused, maltreated, starved, or kept in horrific conditions in cages. It is highly possible that the SC order could have nation-wide ramifications leading to a distress, panic situation for street dogs. That will be a case of the panacea being worse than the disease. It will be counterintuitive. And who will take responsibility if the strays suffer on account of this drastic decision to huddle them in shelters that are ill-equipped and have unhygienic conditions which end up depriving them of a normal, healthy life? They could even be harmed, and killed.
Dogs can live anywhere from 10- 18 years if well looked after. Like us human beings, dogs too need behavioral training. You will be surprised, but they acquire and retain skills better than we do.
13/ ✊ The 8-week deadline to relocate over 1 million stray dogs in Delhi has now begun. Our voices are more critical than ever to demand humane, legal solutions before irreversible damage happens.
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#SaveDelhiDogs#StopDogGenocide
1/ 🚨⚖️ The Supreme Court’s order to lock up 10L stray dogs in Delhi is illegal, inhumane & unconstitutional. It will worsen rabies, cause mass deaths.
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@rashtrapatibhvn#SaveDelhiDogs#AnimalRights#justiceBRGavai
Here’s the truth (Cont. Reading)👇