The Animal Welfare Board has issued a notice to Krishnagiri Municipality for employing ‘dog contractors’ to remove stray dogs and relocating them into Andhra Pradesh forests, recently.
Taking cognisance of the story by The Hindu , that flagged the violation of the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2001 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, - where the municipality had booked ‘dog contractors’ from Andhra Pradesh to capture stray dogs and drop them off in the forests of Chittoor in AP - the AWB has issued notice to the Secretary, Municipal Administration, Director and Commissioner, Municipal Administration.
In the notice, AWB has censured the municipality for violating the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2001. The dislocation of stray dogs in forests was both a “blatant violation of the ABC (Dog) Rules and the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972, the notice read. The ABC Rules forbid relocation of stray animals.
The AWB has cited Supreme Court orders that directs the local bodies to provide infrastructure mandated by the ABC(Dog) Rules.
The SC had also directed the governments to ensure its directions are “diligently followed” and that governments take necessary steps to ensure provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act are complied with. Further, the governments shall take action against erring officials and take necessary remedial steps.
Citing its own guidelines on humane way of catching dogs, the Animal Welfare Board has sought action taken report from the municipal administration on the report by The Hindu .
