9 JUN 2020 —
This is a classic example of what happens in almost all the states of India barring few metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai where people are aware about dog rules and their rights.
Yamuna Enclave is a posh locality in Panipat, Haryana. This means that people residing here must be wealthy and educated. But neither money nor degree has taught them to be kind and loving towards dogs. The Yamuna Enclave Cooperative Society has announced a reward of Rs. 12,000 to anyone who catches a stray dog who has become a terror in the society. It has been reported that post lockdown a dog has been biting people of the society. It has already bitten around two dozen people in the last two months.
The society asked its sweepers and guards to catch the dog but they failed. They especially called a team from Sonipat to catch the dog but they also failed. The municipal corporation too tried to catch the dog twice but they also failed.
The Mayor of the Municipal Corporation Avneet Kaur told that the corporation was running a dog and monkey catching drive before the lockdown happened but they had to stop the drive after lockdown. The commissioner of the municipal corporation Om Prakash has told that the corporation did try to catch the dog but it failed. Now let the society catch the dog and if they fail again then the corporation will again try to catch the dog. To read about the entire incident kindly go on the link below:
This is nothing new in India. In spite of the Dog rules 2001 and the order of the supreme court that prohibits the relocation of dogs and permits only Sterilization and rabies vaccination of dogs, the rules are openly flouted. And we can see that in Panipat it is not only the public but also the municipal corporation consisting of its mayor and commissioner who are flouting the rules
Now let’s see who is actually living in terror in Panipat: the humans or the dogs?
1 According to the statement given by the mayor, the corporation has been running dog catching drive but due to lockdown, it had to stop. The mayor or the commissioner has no where mentioned about the ABC programme. Why is the municipal corporation carrying out the dog catching drive? Who gave them permission? The commissioner or the mayor? Whosoever gave such a permission has given an illegal permission and should definitely be punished. And where have the dogs been relocated? Probably dumped somewhere to die.
2 Catching dogs with a catcher is the most terrorising and tormenting experience for a dog. It seems the dog has some very bad experience with human beings. And it seems all its litters have been relocated. The dog cannot speak but its biting habit and running away from humans speaks all. It definitely hates humans and does not trust them. Imagine the dog has been chased by so many people and so many times. The municipal corporation, the guards, the sweepers and a special team from Sonipat. It seems the colony has no caregiver and the dog has never been lovingly fed by anybody. If all dog enemies reside in this colony then it is for sure that the dog must be remaining hungry and thirsty for many days. What would an irritated, hungry, thirsty and an angry dog do? Obviously bite.
3 The dog’s biting has started only two months back and it has already bitten two dozen people. So one thing is clear that the dog is not rabid. It has been found that the dog bites only people going for morning and evening walks. A rabid dog will not have any fixed pattern or choice for biting. Also it has been biting for the last 2 months. Rabid dogs once it shows clinical signs of rabies will certainly die within 7 to 10 days. This dog has survived for two months and it seems it’s quite smart as no one has been able to catch it. So it’s brain is in perfect condition.
Honestly, this smart and angry dog can be of valuable service to the Police Dept.
So by all likelihood, the dog is definitely not rabid. But the people of the colony must have certainly pronounced the dog as rabid including the municipal corporation.
The truth is that the dog is badly terrorised by humans.
The reward of Rs 12,000 will either lead to its relocation or to its death.
Let’s save the dog and show human compassion which it has never experienced. The people of Panipat need to be told about the ABC programme, about canine rabies and dog behaviour. The duty of every municipal corporation of India should be to run the ABC programme and bust myths related to canine rabies. Instead of running illegal dog catching drives, the corporations should run yearly rabies vaccination drives.
Let’s save the life of this dog before it’s too late ……..