Nuisance to whom,ask animal lovers

Animal lovers in the city are a pleased lot after managing to buy more time in implementing the Bombay High Court ruling giving unconditional authority to the civic chief to kill stray dogs that are causing a nuisance.

Animal lovers in the city are a pleased lot after managing to buy more time in implementing the Bombay High Court ruling giving unconditional authority to the civic chief to kill stray dogs that are causing a nuisance.

According to Lt Col (retd) Dr J C Khanna,a member of Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI),while the culling of rabid and terminally-ill dogs is understandable,the organisation were not sure about the definition of nuisance dogs. The word nuisance is subjective and there was a question about which dogs should be classified as nuisance. We wanted a more precise definition for the word and thats why we moved the Supreme Court.

The court has also issued a notice to a Goa-based organisation People for Elimination of Stray Troubles which had filed a petition for killing stray dogs.

Fizzah Shah of In Defence of Animals said: There is no Act that gives a commissioner the discriminatory power to kill stray dogs. They have the power to curb civic nuisance but not to kill stray animals.

Meanwhile,Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak said he was yet to get a copy of the order. Once we receive the copy we will be able to decide the future course of action.

Phatak said the civic administration had not taken any action against stray dogs so far owing to the stay issued by the High Court. There was a six-week stay,ending on January 30.

Phatak also said he has replied to Hollywood star Pamela Andersons letter,asking the civic body not to kill stray dogs and instead resort to sterilisation methods to control their population. I have written about the existing conditions,policies and the Indian laws regarding stray dogs, he said.

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