Three dogs in malnourished state taken out of IIT-M shelter

Activists say sick dogs were kept in an area that had not been inspected earlier

Three dogs, which were very ill and malnourished, were taken out of the dog shelter inside the IIT-Madras campus on Friday for treatment by a few activists.

This comes five days after Health Minister Ma. Subramanian inspected the shelter. The Minister, who inspected two confinements spanning around 10,000 square feet, quoted the administration as saying that there were 87 dogs kept in the shelter. He expressed satisfaction on the functioning of the shelter.

Activists, who took the dogs out on Friday, alleged that the sick dogs were kept in a third area that was not inspected earlier. The dogs that were unwell were taken out as per the suggestion of the Madras High Court. In a public interest litigation filed by People for Cattle in India (PFCI) regarding the dog shelters in IIT Madras campus, the court said that it was open to the sick dogs being moved out for better care.

PFCI had informed the court then that at least 14 dogs in the shelter were sick. However, the activists alleged that some of them were missing during their visit on Friday. They said that although a court order was issued in September, IIT Madras delayed permission to attend to the dogs for a month.

During the Minister’s visit last week, the administration informed him that 56 of the 188 dogs kept in the confinement died last year while 29 were given in adoption, 14 were let out and two had escaped. The Minister had asked the institution to furnish details on the dogs given for adoption.

The Hindu sent a questionnaire to IIT Madras on Friday asking whether the three dogs received medical attention earlier, whether there was a delay in allowing the activists to move the dogs, and whether the Minister was apprised about the sick dogs last week.

The administration, however, responded saying, “IIT Madras is implementing the instructions of the National Green Tribunal(NGT)-appointed permanent committee and the Honourable High Court. The Institute is reporting periodically to the NGT and updating the HC at each hearing.”