Srinagar Municipal Corp to sterilise dogs

SRINAGAR:Facing criticism from animal rights campaigners for its plans to poison over one lakh stray dogs in the city, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has now started a programme to sterilise them in a phased manner.

The animal birth control programme was set in motion in the city when a number of stray dogs were sterilised by experts of the Animal Welfare Board (AWB) in collaboration with SMC, Animal husbandry department and society for prevention of cruelty to animals (SPCA), official sources said on Monday.

The sterilisation programme replaced the earlier practice of poisoning animals, which has come under severe criticism by animal rights bodies of late.

SMC had poisoned over 500 dogs and were planning to poison one lakh more in the city but shelved the programme after animal rights campaigners threatened to move the court on grounds of cruelty.

Security personnel manning the pickets here were also opposed to poisoning the dogs. Ever since the eruption of militancy in the state in 1989, the dogs were fed by jawans and in lieu they keep watch around the pickets during the night.

Hoping that the new programme will reduce the dog population, they said experts of AWB will impart training to doctors and paramedic of animal husbandry along with volunteers of SPCA.

A ratio of 1:3 for male to female dogs will be maintained during sterilisation to make the programme a success, they said adding the sterilisation of each dog will cost Rs 450.