After SC order: PMC to reassess stray dog management, feeders call for humane approach

Dr Sarika Funde, chief veterinary officer of PMC, confirmed that the civic body has initiated surveys and consultations. “We’ve prepared a full schedule, and our representatives are visiting areas daily. We’re conducting surveys of schools, hospitals, and government offices to understand how many institutions are involved,” Funde told the Indian Express.

She added that while sterilisation and vaccination efforts continue under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, ensuring humane treatment and maintaining a balance between public safety and animal welfare remains the PMC’s priority.

The August 22 order had allowed dogs to be sterilised, vaccinated, and released back to their original locations. Feeders and rescuers saw this as a relief, as they viewwed the earlier “no release” policy to be impractical.
However, the November 7 verdict once again calls for relocation from public areas, causing confusion and concern among the city’s dog lovers.

Dog feeders voice anger, fear
For many local feeders, the latest ruling has reignited fears of harassment and misunderstanding on the ground. Ishneet Ahluwalia, a self-employed illustrator from NIBM, who feeds and sterilises dogs in her locality, said the government’s frequent policy shifts have created chaos.

“These spaces are their homes. Removing them is neither practical nor humane. We feeders personally vaccinate and sterilise dogs, but the authorities are not implementing ABC rules properly. This only encourages people who already dislike stray dogs to act aggressively,” Ishneet said.

Another dog caretaker, Anuva Joseph from Koregaon Park, said, “If relocation is possible, so is sterilisation.” Joseph added that if the government has the resources to relocate lakhs of animals to shelters, it can easily strengthen the ABC programme.

“The humane solution is what the August 22 order said – sterilise, vaccinate, and release the dogs back to their areas. Aggressive or rabid dogs can be isolated, but others should not be uprooted,” she said.
As Pune awaits the PMC’s revised action plan, animal welfare volunteers urge the authorities to consult local feeders and NGOs before any mass relocation.