Anti-rabies vaccine administered to pet dogs

Anti-rabies vaccine was administered to about 240 pet and community dogs in the district on Tuesday.

The vaccination was carried out by the City Corporation, Society for Prevention of Cruelty against Animals, Animal Husbandry Department and Coimbatore-based People for Animals. Over the next three days, 1,000 dogs will be immunised, official sources said.

The plan for immunising pets and community dogs against rabies was taken at a recent meeting of the SPCA chaired by the Collector.

The Animal Husbandry Department is into the process of strengthening the district unit of Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) with induction of more members and augmenting its finances.

At the meeting, the Joint Director of Animal Husbandry Department S. Palanichamy initiated a discussion on making cattle-sellers comply with the norms of transporting the animals and providing proper care. The SPCA was revived during August last year to ensure humane treatment of cattle, livestock and community dogs. The organisation was provided a building on the Erode Taluk Office premises to monitor the condition of cattle transported to and from cattle shandies, to rule out overloading and suffocation. The SPCA is also responsible to keep a tab on maintenance of cows donated by devotees to temples, and certify goshalas. The certification is essential to receive funding from Animal Welfare Board of India. SPCA members have to make sure that the sheep and cow are slaughtered with least pain and check the animals for diseases beforehand.

The SPCA is often criticised by animal lovers due to the continuing overloading of cattle brought to shandies at various locations in the district, including Karungalpalayam, Kanagapuram, Gobi Modachur, Perundurai, Seenapuram, Sivagiri, Melampadi, Sanisandai, Kavindapadi, Sathyamangalam, Siruvalur, Puliampatti, and Puduchandai Rules permit transport of only six grown cattle or 12 calves in a lorry with valid fitness certificate from veterinarian. The cattle must be provided with water and food. But, the norms are not followed usually. Cattle purchased from the shandies are taken for culling to Kerala and Karnataka, without proper feeding and padding on floor with straw or coir.