Disturbing news has come from Telangana. Nearly 500 stray dogs have been savagely killed in Kamareddy, Warangal and Jagtial districts.
The mass killing of stray dogs was carried out by professional dog killers on instructions from newly elected sarpanches. They sarpanches had promised voters to kill stray dogs during last month’s panchayat elections.
In Kamareddy district, a campaign to kill stray dogs was carried out on January 6, 7 and 8 by the local panchayats. An NGO, Stray Animals Foundation of India lodged an FIR detailing how local sarpanches killed these animals to fulfill their electoral promises. In three days, more than 300 stray dogs were killed during the operation.
In Jagtial district, nearly 50 stray dogs were administered lethal injections. A video of this act on December 30 has been circulated. It clearly shows a killer injecting the animal with an injection, the dog limps off to a few metres and falls dead.
Poisoning stray dogs to death is outrightly inhuman. This cannot be, and must not be, a solution.
During recent hearings in the Supreme Court, efforts were made to stifle the voices of animal lovers. When a lawyer suggested that adoption of stray dogs could be a way out, the hon’ble judge asked, why not adopt orphans?
When the issue of atrocities on stray dogs was raised, the hon’ble judge responded saying, we can play here videos of what is happening to human beings.
When a suggestion for sterilization was put forward, a remark was made, only counselling of stray dogs is now left.
I think such an approach will not help. Suggestions given by animal lovers, who raise the voice of animals must be heard. A solution must be found instead of viewing this as a human vs animal issue.
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