• (SDPM) STREET DOG POPULATION MANAGEMENT 

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A.1   In cities the human density as compared to free space increases dramatically. Human Beings are the only species generating lots of edible waste which nature needs to decompose rapidly to prevent outbreak of diseases, epidemics and maintain balance. Hence, street dogs come into play in the natural cycle and act as scavengers. Since the garbage generated is very high in cities compared to villages, the survival and reproduction of street dogs increase dramatically, leading to population explosion.

A.2   Even if such a massive exercise is undertaken, within matters of weeks new dogs from neighboring areas will fill up the areas in more numbers than earlier because as we are not tackling removal of resources on which dogs survive even sick, weak, infirm dogs will survive and population will increase dramatically.

A.3   We are not only killing wild animals but we are also encroaching upon their habitat and territory, leaving them no room or space for their living or reproduction hence, they are getting extinct. On the contrary, street dogs living in cities get food from garbage, eateries, slaughter houses, choultries ( marriage and function halls), water from broken pipes, drains, stagnant water spots, etc. and shelter in numerous drains, ditches, desolated areas, etc. Hence, urban living actively supports street dogs by increasing the carrying capacity of the environment leading to greater numbers of dogs on streets. Every time we kill a dominant dog controlling a stretch of area, we invite more dogs from neighboring areas to fill the vacuum thereby leading to population explosion. On the contrary street dog population is never high in forests or thinly populated areas. Raising successful litters in feral state is very very rare.

A.4   The most effective strategy is to evolve efficient garbage disposal methods and to ban open garbage system followed here. However, till we develop effective garbage disposal methods, we need to follow the programme recommended by WHO/WSPA i.e., ABC( Animal Birth Control)/ARVs( Anti Rabies Vaccination) popularly known as spay and neuter. This is the most effective control strategy followed by many countries of the world and many cities in India. To the best of our knowledge the most successful city in India is Jaipur in view of their systematic approach and very active help form local municipality, even as other cities in India have reported success. Several areas of Bangalore have reported decline in street dog bite cases since Oct 2000.

A.5   Even though WHO/WSPA report on street dog population management has been sent to almost all municipalities in India, given our bureaucracy and total lack of interest among the local municipal authorities they still resort to killing as they have been doing it for past several years and as they do not want to use their mind to find effective alternative solutions. Besides most of the municipal councils have very few learned people who can think rationally and logically. Every year in India millions of street dogs are killed in the most gory and a very brutal manner because of such officials and ignorant public.

A.6   Many cities in India are following WHO/WSPA recommended programme to name a few

• Bangalore. 
• Delhi 
• Chennai
• Goa 
• Hyderabad
• Jaipur 
• Kolkatta 
• Mumbai 
• Pondicherry 
• Secunderabad 
• Vishakapatnam
• Also in Pune, Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli, Darjeeling, Kota, Ajmer, Jamshedpur, Jodhpur, Baroda, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Agra, Nagapattinam, Salem, Kanchipuram, Nellore, Tirupathi, Puttaparthi, Anantpur, Jallandhar, etc.

   

A.7   Like all warm blooded mammal even street dogs can get infected and carry Rabies, which even though vaccine preventable is most misunderstood in India and third world countries making dogs the easy targets for killing. Hence it is necessary to follow ABC/ARVs programme to reduce the dog population and eradicate rabies.

A.8   First and the foremost it is necessary to understand the behavior of street dogs and their dynamics of survival. One can begin with active involvement in control and effective disposal of garbage, ban or regulation of unauthorized butcher shops, eateries, choultries and generally any such business which generates garbage which is food to street dogs. In addition with the help of local Animal Welfare NGO's one should get all street dogs in locality sterilized and vaccinated periodically to not only keep the population under control but also keep it healthy.

You may also join your local Animal Welfare Organization and volunteer for them in a manner you feel is possible.

A.9   Discuss the issue with few friends and like minded people and see if you can motivate them to join you in starting an Animal Welfare Organization. Matter available on this website is enough to help them understand the dynamics of street dog population. Join together and meet the municipal authorities and tell them what is happening around the world and how street dog population is being controlled elsewhere.

Now it is a test of your patience and resilience. Do not expect the authorities to see your viewpoint the first time you meet. They will be fairly thick skinned and impervious to any reasoning and logic. The first thing these people will think is that you have no better business to do and will tell you that so many human beings are dying, so many are poor, so many have nothing to eat, so many are homeless, etc ,etc and make it seem you are responsible for all the ills in this world. Tell them this is exactly the reason why you are ready to help the municipal authorities because let us all remember that street dog population control benefits only Humans by lesser incidence of bites and also in control of rabies. Animals are not benefited in any way. The most poor strata of people are the people who die of rabies as they cannot afford vaccination and cannot afford to lose a day's wage to line up in government hospitals to get the NTV vaccine ( which is not recommended by WHO). Besides you can tell your municipal authorities that they have been killing dogs without any reduction in population for so many years now but have not been able to control population hence it is time for a rethink and follow modern ways of control.

If you are fairly persistent and do not take no as an answer your sincerity will bring results. If you are in INDIA, Please get a copy of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the copy of Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 under the said rules, Clause No 13 clearly says that even if there exists a local Municipal Act which permits killing of dogs, the rules made under PCA Act, 1960 being enacted by the parliament shall prevail over the said municipal act.

If every thing fails, the last resort is approach the courts. All High Courts approached in India till date, more than eight High Courts and even the Supreme Court have given verdict in favour of ABC/ARVs ( Spay and Neuter) as a humane, most effective way of controlling street dog population.

Please also remember that though you may fund the programme initially with personal funds and from select donors or groups, it is important to get full funding from local municipalities as this is their duty to bring effective control in street dog population and one individual or organization cannot and should not do the work which local authorities are under obligation to do.

A.10   Media in India is most responsible for sensationalization of any issue to get wider publicity and selling. Most of the times media is devoid of any ethics or morals and push people towards forcing municipalities to adopting cruel means in order to achieve short terms gains without realizing that such short term methods of killing dogs has not brought results anywhere.

The media should play a very constructive role in understanding the problem and the dynamics involved, educate public on benefits of ABC/ARVs and make people understand the effective control strategies. They should educate that there are far more diseases, accidents, dowry deaths, extremism, Mafia rule, atrocities, etc to name a few in India and elsewhere which kill and mutilate more people than this issue which truly pales in comparison.

A.11   Yes! Effective garbage disposal. Ban on breeding and abandoning of pet dogs. Breeding of dogs for sale is one of the biggest contributor to this problem. We are killing local dogs while keeping foreign breeds in our houses as status symbol. It is similar to killing one's baby and adopting a foreign baby.

A.12   Relocation of dogs bring in dogs which are unfamiliar with the local people and the territory due to which they are under shock, very fearful and under deep stress. They are most likely to fight amongst themselves and bite passer-by.

A.13   Please contact Krupa Helpline for assistance on this matter on 22 22 45 41 or Vinay on Cell # 98451 71495.

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