Will this madness stop?

I just don't understand the girl bitten/boy bitten kind of stories. Will the reporters let us know how these attcks happened? Was there any provocation? How serious were the wounds? Where can one avail free treatment from BBMP? Else what is the purpose of such reports? Spreading fear? Fanning hysteria?

Licence Update

BBMP Scheme

BBMP Helpline: 08022224541

BBMP Adoption/Gaurdianship Program

Now, adopt a stray dog for Rs 25
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

14.03.07
Bangalore: Here’s some reprieve for dog lovers. You can save a stray dog from being culled by adopting them for just Rs 25. After paying this fee, you will become its guardian and BBMP along with jurisdictional vet will help you in keeping them safe by administering inoculation, vaccines and other dosages. That’s not all — there is some good news for pet dog owners as well. No more fears of your pets being targeted by the authorities. For, your pet will be licensed henceforth. By paying Rs 200 as licence fee, your pet will have registration number, which you can display next time your pet is in trouble. The BBMP health authorities along with commissioner K Jairaj and NGOs at a meeting with chief secretary P B Mahishi took some vital decisions on handling the dog issue. At the meeting, the NGOs were asked to implement ABC programme in all the 100 wards without any delay. The authorities said three dog pounds were being constructed at a cost of Rs 30 lakh and work is scheduled to be completed by March 25. In the new areas that have come under the jurisdiction of BBMP, the authorities will carry out ABC programmes from March 27 by deploying two vehicles in each zone. The authorities will also hold awareness camps across the city with the help of NGOs and resident welfare associations.

Protest against killing of strays

‘If innocent dogs cannot speak for themselves, we will’. This was the slogan of Lingarajpuram residents, who gathered on Tuesday to protest against the killing of stray dogs in the city over the last couple of days. Having met governor T N Chaturvedi with an appeal to stop killing of sterilised dogs, three days ago, animal lovers now plan to meet chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and BBMP officials. “We want to appeal to the CM to provide us land to open a shelter for sterilised dogs,” said Sarah Pinto, one of the organisers of the protest. The residents also appealed to the parents of small children, not to allow them near dogs, especially when they are eating or feeding their young ones.

PIL admitted

A division Bench, headed by Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph, admitted a PIL filed by Karnataka Legal Services Authority regarding stray dog issue in Bangalore and adjourned the matter to March 20.

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Do you know more about this program? Please let us know.

Dog Licence

Will the CM or Health Minister please explain this

We proudly rattle off names such as, Buddha, Mahaveer, Gandhi, Dayanand Saraswati when we have to aggrendise our country. And this is what we do to voiceless creatures. I wish they had the power to vote! What is more sickening is the religious angle being added to it. A community, they say, wants dogs to be killed. Which religion, which messanger, which Prophet on earth ever said kill helpless animals? Can we please keep religion out of this? These creatures are already suffering enough.

"Durbal Ko Na Sataaiye Jaaki Moti Haaya

Binaa Jeeva Kee Ssvans So Loha Bhasma Hoi Jaaya"

Kabir

(Do not trample the meek, their curses have power. Even iron is melted by lifeless hot air.)

The Fate

Watch it here or here.

Please write to editordh@deccanherald.co.in before 2 pm Saturday, mentioning in 100 words what you feel about the current treatment of the dogs and your ideas/solutions, if any.

The Silicon Valley Murderers

It was what exactly we were fearing. Knee jerk reactions like catch and kill all "stray" dogs ordered by none other than Healt Minister of Karnataka leads to this.
I am glad that the Governor asked for this madness to stop. Hope the Government listens to him.

What Can I Do?

Honestly, lots. Considering the strays have no voice of their own ever little act will go a long way.
You can begin by signing this petition and passing it on other like minded people. It is a shame that it does not even have a thousand signatures.

We are palnning to meet on this Saturday to brainstorm, collect ideas, suggestions and work out ways to handle the current situation. The PFA Head of Bangalore, Ranjan Chacko would be there too. Please drop your email ids/phone numbers if you are interested to know the details. If you are not comfortable leaving your contact info here, please mail it to sapphire101AThotmailDOTcom.

Your each and every idea/solution/offer to help counts. Please do not hesitate in posting it.

PS: Is there anyone who can offer space for temporary shelters for dogs? Do you know anyone who would be willing to?
Other logical solutions from Jellicles.

Trained Dog Catchers?

This picture from DH dated 6th March 2007 shows a dog bleeding. Trained dog catchers? They tie metal wires around their stomach and drag them along the road. Well, expecting humane behaviour from humans is expecting common sense to be common.

It is anybody's guess that where these dogs will end up. Unless, we act and offer humane solutions to the menace of dog bites and attacks.

Logic lost in Hysteria

From DH dated 6th March 2007.

The lady from Rajajinagar was forced to give up the stray. Why was not she allowed to keep it? When the vans move to catch dogs, they should be equipped to register and vaccinate stray dogs which residents want to keep. A spot registeration, vaccination of such strays might help the overcrowded pounds a lot. This would also encourage pet owners to come forward and get their pets registered. The money could be used to take care of the strays.

But when hysteria and mob is what rules, who listens to logic?

This Is Where It Stands

Kill, Kill and Kill

Dear Lesser Creatures of an Unknown God,
Yes, it is an apology letter, for that is all I have. A thousands at that it would mean nothing to you. I am sorry for you have been crowned with a heavy tag of our best friends. You might not know what it means and whether you asked for it or not. So you will be loved and loathed at whim, used and abused, beaten and bred, chained and pampered, cared for and abandoned, faught over and killed. We will have puppy mills and make you a status symbol. You will be classified as pure breds, mutts and strays and would be treated with differential parameters. Afterall this is what we are best at.
You don't understand. It is so difficult to control your numbers by ABC, vaccinating you is expensive, effective garbage disposal is beyond us, treating you with respect as a living creature is out of question. So when we force you into behaving like a pack of hunters and you maul, we will not see the root cause. We will not see how we have failed as a corrupt society. We will come hunting for you with wires and cages. Chase you out and stuff you into vans and “mercilessly cull” you, as our honourable Health Minister promises. Come on you are not a voter, you don't have a voice, and we know best for you. It is an urban jungle after all. While the NGO's and government would play the blame game, we will play the catch and kill with you.
So sorry, Blackie, I could only watch when you tried to hide in the drain and were pulled out with a wire tied around your stomach. I know you would not even hurt a fly and I tried explaning to the Health Inspector. He won't trust me my dear. Though I will miss you everyday around the park's turn. The very same park that is a dumping ground. Where you came wagging your tail to greet me and Jimbo without fail. I will miss getting mad at Jimbo for getting excited on seeing you. He is a male dog after all. I am sorry Brownie, for I did not hide you when you ran around confused. I was scared that will bring attention to Jimbo, who you know is object of your affection but not my human neighbours. I will miss your all night courtship with Jimbo across the gate. I am sorry Blackie, your own owners did not have a voice. After all they are immigrant workers. I am sorry Jimbo for letting you down. I can't look into your eyes and tell you why I can't do anything for your friends. Your getting agitated at their yelp and cries for help will only get you in trouble. I am sorry I stepped on your foot and made it bleed when you tried to break free to help them. I am sorry all the little pups, suckling moms and crippled mongrels. I am sorry all the nameless ones. I am sorry that I could not put a collar around you in time. You might have a better life next time.
I am sorry for I am the very true human who silently accepts everything though we believe in “Never Again”, we are the same mob who cry for blood, wipe out entire races and take comfort in our concrete castles. I am sorry that all I can do is write and may be get angry and fret. I am sorry that I will be silent soon and settle comfortbaly in my human world. I am sorry that I am a human. I am sorry that I am a mute spectator. I am sorry for being a part of this system. I am sorry for that's all that I have. If it is some consolation I will never forget that I have blood on my hands. Trust me it is enough to drown me.
Rest in peace.
An ashamed “human”