Monday, July 30, 2007

BBMP wake up before it is too late

Pick up a newspaper and every now and then you will find a case of dog bite. Who is to blame? One major reason apart from public negligence and apathy towards why the problem exists in first place, is some over zealous but ill informed BBMP officers. In a game of "I am samarter" these officers employ private vehicles and people to catch dogs from their area and release them in another area or worse kill and dump these dogs. Friendly, neutered dogs are picked up and dumped elsewhere. So while the officer thinks he has "cleaned" his area, he does not know he has created problem not only for his area but the area where he is dumping too. Besides being illegal it is sheer foolishness and seriously endangers the success of ABC. It is not only making innocnet dogs face death sentence but jeopardizes the safety of citizens too. Click these two links to learn why this method does not work, what will work. This fact that relocation and killing neutered dogs is so dangerous and unwanted is common sense.

People have been complaing about relocation, killing of friendly community dogs and the resulting dog bites because of new dogs being introduced in random areas. But then who cares? after all it is a dog's life. Kill and move on. This is what some smart BBMP officials think.

Please read the news article below and report any van besides these picking up dogs. Neutered dogs should not be picked up at all. Even for revaccination, it has to be done on the spot. Please safegaurd your community dogs and in turn make it safer for all the kids in your area too.

List of numbers of vehicles designated for each NGO and the BBMP
BBMP — KA-01 893 and KA-01 895
CUPA — KA-01 6515 KA-01-A- 6515 KA- 01- A- 3271
ARF — KA-01 A 6516 and KA-05 C 2237
Krupa — KA-01 A 3273 and KA-41 121
Karuna — KA-01 3272


Deccan Herald 30.07.07

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Look who is waiting for you

Here is our Flickr Album, which you can share with people interested in adopting dogs and cats.
As it is evident that right now there are lots of adults and pups, which need homes immediately. Please have a look, spread the word and help us find homes for these creatures. A lifetime of cuddles, hugs, kisses and wagging tails guaranteed. All these animals would be vaccinated and sterilised before they come to you. And here are some images and details as follows:

Name: Choco
Age: Young! Breed\Sex: Pom
Nature: Inquisitive, friendly
Status: Vaccinated

Name: Spotty
Age: 1 Year
Breed\Sex: Dalmatian\Female
Nature: Friendly and amiable
Status: Vaccinated, Sterilised and ready to go!
Name: Broody
Age: Young!
Breed\Sex: Mixed\male
Nature: Mild, friendly and extremely gentle
Status: Vaccinated, Sterilised and ready to go!
Name: Ferry
Age: Young!
Breed\Sex: Mixed\Female
Nature: Curious, friendly
Status:Vaccinated and sterilised, ready to go! Name: Boo
Age: Young!
Breed\Sex: GSD Cross\Male
Nature: Very playfula nd friendly
Status: Vaccinated and sterilised, ready to go!
Name: Fudge
Age: Young!
Breed\Sex: GSD Cross\Male
Nature: Playful, energetic and friendly
Status: Vaccinated, sterilised and raring to go!
Pics Courtesy: Sujaya
Contact: Please feel free to contact on 98451 93057, if you wish to adopt any one of them. You can also leave a comment or mail us on adoptstrays@blogspot.com
Besides these, Sunshine, Angel, Princess, Bala and these adorable pups still need you. Do spare a look and tell us dont they desrve to be loved and homed?

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Adopt a stray


I would not be saying something new if I say adopting a pet is much better than buying them from Puppy mills or unscrupulous breeders. You don't buy friends and companions, so why buy pets? If it is the breed that pushes you to buy a dog then I guess you are just buying a commodity. The same idea which makes dogs a status symbol. The shelters have numerous abandoned/lost "breed" dogs, ownerless mutts and Indian dogs, which need home, love and care. If you are planning to get a pet or know someone, please let them know there is a better way of doing it i.e. adopt. You can visit here and help a needy animal find a home.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Meanwhile in Delhi



DOG LOVERS: Carnatic vocalist G Elangovan and Punjabi Sufi singer Rekha Raj perform at ‘Pashupati: Save the Dogs Concert’
Here, canine cause took centrestage

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
New Delhi: Dwipade chatushpade shantam (peace be on the two-legged and the four-legged). This Vedic chant might sound like an unusual way to begin a musical soiree but when the mission behind it is saving stray dogs, it’s more than fitting. From music to mythology, from prayer to protest,it was man’s best friend — the dog — that took centrestage at this concert for a cause held in the Capital on Tuesday evening. Fitting titled ‘Pashupati: Save the Dogs Concert’ as Pashupati literally means keeper of animals,both the musical evening and the exhibition that preceded it showed a dogged determination to create awareness about the need to protect this living element on Indian streets. While one poster featured a moving prayer for a street dog, another protested the killing of strays in Karnataka. Yet another established the unique place the dog holds in our mythology as one of Shiva’s vahan (as Bhairava) and Yudishthir’s loyal and finally lone companion ‘‘The Vedas mention the two-legged and the four-legged. It’s also the only animal that actively seeks human attention yet the attitude to strays is so inhumane,’’ said Navtej Johar, dancer, yoga exponent and animal. Johar, who is managing trustee of NGO Abhyas Trust that presented this event, also urged civic authorities to work out a system of garbage disposal first before resorting to mindless culling. Sunil Mehra of Abhyas feared a repeat of Bangalore in Delhi. ‘‘Strays may bear the brunt in the sanitisation of the city ahead of the Commonwealth. It’s every dog lover’s duty not to let that happen,’’ said Mehra. Not if Aahuti, a Class IV student from Sriram school, has her way. ‘‘I feed my neighbourhood dog every day and I don’t want anything to happen to him,’’ says this avid dog lover. Man’s best friend since ages Yudhishthir refused to enter the gates of heaven till the dog who had faithfully followed him on his journeys did so. Indra explained to him that according to karma, the dog would be reborn as human and after many life cycles gather enough virtue to enter heaven. ‘‘In that case,’’ Yudhishthir replied, ‘‘I will wait for him at these gates till he returns.’’
Plan to sterilise strays floated
Ruhi Bhasin TNN
New Delhi: To step up sterilisation of street dogs before Commonwealth Games 2010, the MCD is looking into the possibility of using the Catch/ Neuter/ Vaccinate/ Release (CNVR) technique, which was successful in sterilising 45,000 dogs in Ahmedabad in 2006. While the agency has put forward the proposal to the nine NGOs that are working with it in implementing the animal birth control (ABC) programme, they have expressed apprehensions about releasing the dogs on the day of the operation, as is done under the CNVR system. Rahul Sehgal, founder of the Animal Help Foundation — the NGO that joined forces with Humane Society International and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in January 2006 to implement CNVR in Ahmedabad — said: ‘‘The CNVR is a method of ABC that promotes mass sterilisation in the safest and most humane manner for all dogs on the streets. CNVR programmes set up the neutering clinics in a tent where proper equipment is used to perform modern aseptic neutering of dogs. They are released in the area from where they were picked up on the same day.’’ When Sehgal was questioned about the risks involved in releasing the dogs the same day, he said: ‘‘ By the time most dogs are set to be released, they are trying to free themselves from the recovery enclosure. We will never put the dogs back on the street if they have not fully recovered.’’ He added: ‘‘The dogs are at a greater risk of contracting diseases and developing infections in kennels as often a healthy dog that has been neutered and put into a kennel will wind up being sick because the previous street dog that was in the kennel may have shed its virus or bacteria. Also, street dogs are not used to being confined in a jail environment and the raised level of stress of the dog trying to get out of the cage causes other problems post surgery.’’ Meanwhile, over 60,000 dogs were sterilised in the city from 2002 to 2006. While the NGOs working on this say that the numbers could be greater if the right infrastructure is provided, they are not willing to release the dogs same day. The MCD has asked the NGOs to give in their proposals on the CNVR in a fortnight. Said an MCD official: ‘‘A presentation was made regarding this programme a while back by Rahul Sehgal. We have asked the NGOs to look into it but they are apprehensive about releasing dogs the same day. We want to tackle this problem before Commonwealth Games and will begin work in east Delhi if a pilot project on these lines is agreed to. We have been approached by other NGOs also who are interested in helping us out.’’ Geeta Seshmani, vice-president of Friendicoes — which is one of the NGOs working with MCD — however said: ‘‘All the NGOs concerned are not at all comfortable with releasing the dog on the same day. Normally, we release them after three days but we are willing to release them in two days. Since the surgery is invasive, the dog has to be under observation to ensure that everything is alright. The number of sterilisations done by us can be increased if the infrastructure is provided to us. We are committed to achieving a greater target.’’ The only NGO working in East Delhi, Samrakashan Trust, said that they didn’t even have a vehicle of their own. Said Sujata Deane from the NGO: ‘‘We have to depend on MCD staff to catch the dogs. The number is very dismal and we get five dogs per day.’’ Said an MCD official: ‘‘The NGOs are able to perform around 400 operations in a month at present. Under CNVR they will be able to perform 4,500 every month. The cost of this will be much more so we have asked them to look into the escalated costs and the additional work load.’’

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Gloom and Conspiracy Theory

I don't know what has disturbed me more. The pictures of dogs being lynched (read burnt alive in a furnace), or a dog's eye melting away because of the acid thrown on him or dogs being clubbed mercilessly or the High Court's interim order, or the way today's informal meeting with the CM turned out. I really don't know. Amidst all the cheap politics, petty individual gains, and unwarranted extreme reactions the biggest losers are the dogs.
Why is it being posed as animal right vs human rights?
Why is it being viewed as human life vs a dog's life?
Why are we failing to put across that the most logical, humane and effective solution for stray dogs issue is time bound ABC, ARV, more shelters, and massive adoption drives? Perhaps awareness and compassion?
Why is it that we fail to point that these solutions are in favour of humans and not just dogs?

To add to it my delusioned and disoriented mind questions me as to why have the dogs suddenly turned into killers and mean biting machines in the last three months? Be it Hyderabad or Bangalore the pattern seems so weird. Specially in a society like ours, where parents kill their own child and blame the dogs, animal skin, meat, fur lobbies, pharma giants, frustrating public apathy, where on earth do dogs have hope? Has Hiranmay Karlekar turned delusional too? Not until prejudices, politics, and gains play the field. That seems nowhere soon.

Take ‘lightning’ steps to end dog menace: HC



















































PUTTING THEM ON A TIGHT LEASH
Take ‘lightning’ steps to end dog menace: HC
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Bangalore: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the BBMP to take ‘lightning’ steps to eradicate the stray dog menace that has claimed the lives of three children in three and a half months. The division bench headed by Justice Chidanand Ullal directed the BBMP to spare no efforts to ensure the safety of people from dogs. The court had earlier issued notices to both central and state governments, Chennai-based Animal Welfare Board, Akhila Karnataka Prani Daya Sangha and the BBMP on a batch of PILs seeking control of the stray dog menace. A petitioner, B Krishna Bhat, had sought the quashing of rule 7 of Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rule so that stray dogs can be eliminated. He maintained that BMP staff were sparing the dogs because of that rule. There is no provision to euthanise the dogs, leading to the sudden spurt in stray dog population in the city, he had stated. According to a government report, there are about 70,000 stray dogs in the city. The Karnataka Legal Services Authority had also taken up the issue following the death of four-yearold Manjunath on BEML campus off Airport Road. In a PIL, it has sought that the stray dog menace be dealt with effectively.


Don't be surprised if the final verdict will be for killing all stray dogs.


Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Earthlings

There is a moment of hope and then sets in an eternity of gloom. Now people have themselve taken the onus of making Bangalore stray free. Five dogs were poisoned by unknown people in a locality. There is another woman in my area who has openly threatened to poison perfectly healthy, playful dogs on her street. I don't really know how many more such people are there. I think the Malabar killers and such lunatics who stop at nothing but killing are equally worse. What would make sense to them? Laws, appeals, logical arguments?

Oh and by the way, the 2 Malabar killers arrested in Kolar for killing 200+ healthy dogs have been released within a day. May be this is where such fronts come into being.

On a different note, I would ask you to watch Earthlings. Eathlings is a documentary narrated by Golden Globe Winner (Best Actor, Walk the Line) Joaquin Phoenix, directed by Shaun Monson, featuring music by the critically acclaimed artist Moby. It has won various awards at Boston, San Diego and Artivist Film Festivals. Thought provoking and extremely well made, I would still warn you. Some footage might be disturbing.
Highly recommended.

Meanwhile, here is a link to Earthlings video.

Pradeep, thanks for the link.

Monday, April 9, 2007

CNVR Cubbon Park


More about this lovely pooch later. He is affectionately called Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Mint Chutney, Rogue, and even Gowri and Julie. He responds to everything, provided you have a biscuit ready.

License Update


Muddy License Terms


Btw the headline sounds terribly awful.

Monday, March 26, 2007

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?

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

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.

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Monday, March 12, 2007

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.)

Friday, March 9, 2007

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.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

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


Monday, March 5, 2007

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”