Complaint against Umrer Municipal Council for driving out stray dogs cruelly

Nagpur: The Umred Municipal Council has come under the scanner for alleged illegal relocation and cruelty on stray dogs.
Around 15 days back, local animal activists spotted a man carrying a pregnant stray dog on his motorcycle in an extremely brutal manner. The man had also allegedly damaged one of the eyes of the animal.
When the activists enquired, they found out that the man was working on the directives of Umred Municipal Council which had reportedly issued tender for catching and relocating the dogs outside the city limits.
According to animal activists, this is illegal. “As per the rules formed by central government, dogs have to be released at the same location after carrying out sterilization. In Umred, cases of cruelty on stray dogs were on a rise as many owners of Saoji restaurants have domestic chickens and they would mind presence of dogs in their vicinity,” said animal activist Karishma Galani.
Based on the pictures of the injured female dog that went viral, Susanna Jham of Shyamali Foundation in Nagpur registered a first information report at Umred police station.
Galani filed complaints to Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), state animal husbandry department and Member of Parliament Maneka Gandhi, who is also the chairperson of animal welfare organization People For Animals.
Responding to the complaint, AWBI recently wrote a letter to Nagpur district collector, senior superintendent of police and Umred Municipal Council stating that issuing tender for relocation of stray dogs in forest area was illegal. “This is a very serious violation of provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2001, and directives of the Supreme Court,” it stated adding that killing of animals was also a serious offence.
Citing the rules, the board stated that sterilized dogs should be re-released in the same area from where they are caught. “Releasing them in a new area may lead to man and dog conflict which will ultimately create hostile environment for both,” it said.
The board has directed the concerned authorities to investigate into the matter and submit action taken report immediately.