Dog lovers want NMC to drop muzzle rule

Nagpur: In yet another violation of guidelines set by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has made it mandatory for owners to use a muzzle on their pet dogs when outside. Activists alleged that the decision is cruelty towards dogs as muzzles can kill the canines.
NMC veterinary officer Dr Gajendra Mahalle told TOI that the muzzle has been made mandatory in the new registration policy to prevent dogs from “barking or biting people”.
Animal activist Malvika Vazalwar said former Union minister Maneka Gandhi spoke to Dr Mahalle and asked him not to implement the rule. “The officer said he will discuss the issue with the civic chief,” she said.
Advocate Ankita Shah said there is no provision in any act to make the muzzle mandatory so the NMC should remove the condition from the new policy with immediate effect. “Making muzzle mandatory is a violation of AWBI's advisory dated August 17. Muzzling is dangerous for dogs as they sweat from their tongues (panting). The temperature of dogs increase while walking. They maintain their body temperature through panting. The muzzle can cause ‘overheating’ in a dog and can be life threatening. Also, dogs smell, then urinate and poop. They may not do it if muzzled. Again, this can cause health problems,” she said.
In the earlier registration policy, the muzzle was not mandatory.
Vazalwar added that the NMC should frame rules after taking views of experts, doctors, scientists, animal welfare officers, NGOs, owners of pets, animal activists. “This will help in resolving problems and creating new ones. All NMC decisions are human centric,” she said.
In guidelines related to the muzzle, AWBI states, “Muzzles are intended to be used only and solely as contingency measures. Muzzles are to be put under exceptional circumstances. The indiscriminate usage of muzzles can severely compromise the welfare of dogs and can exacerbate behavioural issues. Further, precautions must be taken while introducing dogs to muzzles and it must be ensured that barring exceptional circumstances the usage of muzzles is refrained from.”
Meanwhile, the NMC has continued its drive to catch stray dogs on the complaints of petitioner Vijay Talewar and intervener Dhantoli Nagrik Mandal. The total number of dogs caught citing orders of Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court from Dhantoli and Ramdaspeth now stands at 24.
Dr Mahalle said the drive will not be held on Saturday and Sunday and will resume on Monday.