MCD displaced stray dogs from original areas, claim NGOs

“We had reached an agreement with the MCD to be allowed to geo-tag our dogs so they can be returned to the same locations from where they were picked up,” said Ambika Shukla, an animal welfare activist with PFA.

Activists claimed because the dogs were not geo-tagged, some of them were released in the wrong neighbourhood. “On Monday morning, the MCD released dogs at Pragati Maidan without any communication, and the airport terminal ones were released Tuesday morning,” said Shukla.

“Dogs are territorial animals, and releasing them in the wrong neighbourhood causes problems such as territorial fights,” PFA activists said.

“Currently, eight dogs are missing from Pragati Maidan, and today the dogs that were released in the Airport area are also mixed up. Catchers picked up the dogs again, and the same level of cruelty was seen at the time of release… There was an urgent need to pick up the dogs, but what was the urgent need to release them?” Ambika said.

On its part, the MCD insisted that no dogs were harmed in the process. “This is a routine practice, dogs are brought for the purpose of neutering all the time… Those that were picked up were fed and released at their respective locations after sterilisation,” MCD officials stated.

Animal rights advocates have demanded the MCD modify its current methods of picking up dogs with a more transparent and cruelty-free process. “We want a holistic approach; a monitoring committee should be formed, proper protocol should be followed when picking up dogs, and the MCD should include the Animal Welfare Board, feeders, and NGOs.This will ensure dogs are not picked up in the same brutal manner,” PFA member Gaurav Dar said.