| |
| |
| The Aamhi - Marathi ( Marathi Aamchi Maayboli) Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | Stray dog menace - An appeal | Views: 828 | Sep 08, 2009 7:19 am | | Stray dog menace - An appeal | # | Vivek Dev | | I would like to draw your attention to the stray dog menace that is increasing by the day. The authorities used to kill the canine pests but animal rights activists petitioned the Bombay High Court in 1995 against the practice. Their appeal was regrettably upheld and the court directed the authorities to control the population of the strays through sterlisation.
Over the last 15 years since the launch of 'Operation Stray Dog' the population of the pests has increased manifold posing formidable problems for the citizen. I wish to draw the attention of all concerned citizens as well as the medical fraternity to the grave public health and safety and security issues that an ever increasing population of the canines poses for the already harassed citizen. I would especially like the medical fraternity to seriously consider the public health and safety consequences of this misstep and support the cause of organisations and citizens who are campaigning to roll back the Animal Birth Control (ABC) scheme and revert to the methods that were being used earlier.
I have been pleading for support from public figures, political parties, scientists, media people over the last several years but have not yet been able to persuade anyone to take up a position on the issue.
I am opposed to the scheme on a number of grounds including the following:
1. Stray dogs are a health hazard. Every stray dog carries zillions of micro-organisms which it picks up from the garbage, sewers, nullahs and other such places which it frequents. The germs can be passed on to humans to strike and cause diseases when the conditions are right.
2. Stray dogs being animals cannot be expected to behave intelligently and will attack humans especially children. Indeed many cases of children being mauled by the animals have been reported in the media. In a recent case on Aug5 a five year old boy in Bhiwandi was savaged by a pack of 15 stray dogs and had to be rushed to Sion hospital. The boy suffered over 100 bites on his tiny body in the attack. Fortunately the boy received the right medical treatment at the right time but others have not been so lucky. In 2007 in two separate incidents in Bangalore two kids ended up as stray dog food.
3. It is a known fact that populations of species are kept in check through natural predator-prey relationships. Stray dogs have no predators to keep their population in check. It has been observed that when such relationships break down, other natural processes come into play. This includes appearance of hitherto unknown viruses and micro-organisms that can be passed on to humans. Medicine often has no ready answers to such micro-organisms and it may take months and years to develop effective lines of treatment. Under such circumstances the results may be catastrophic. The AIDS virus is one such virus that has been passed to humans from animals.
4. India accounts for 80 per cent of the deaths caused by rabies a disease that is passed on to humans by dogs. The disease has been virtually wiped out in the rest of the world, in India 35,000 people die of the disease every year.
Friends, I think it is time medical professionals as well as concerned citizens start asking our animal rights activists who are laughing all the way to the bank even as our kids end up in hospitals,some tough, inconvenient questions.
I have myself analysed the issue thoroughly and have challenged any individual or organisation to refute my assertion - ' The only good stray dog is a dead and safely disposed stray dog' on the basis of logical arguments based on facts and scientific evidence. I am ready to pay a sum of Rs1,00,000 any individual or organisation that can successfully prove me wrong on this. I would expect to be similarly compensated in case of my assertion cannot be disproved.
I appeal to all Ryze members to help in rolling back this hare-brained scheme that not only wastes hundreds of crores of tax-payers rupees but also deprives people of their right to safety and security against these canine pests.
Needless to say, I would be ready to answer any question on this issue.
Please understand the grave threat to you and your kids and family.
PS- I had written an article opposing the animal rights acitivists and the high court verdict which was published in September 5,1999 issue of Bombay Times. It gives me no pleasure to say that my dire warning that the ABC would take a toll of human lives has been proved accurate many times in the last 10 years. I would especially like to hear from those in the legal profession as to what can be done to reclaim the citizens' right to safety and security.
Private Reply to Vivek Dev | Sep 09, 2009 2:02 am | | re: Stray dog menace - An appeal | # | Maddy | | Dear Vivek,
Trust me your post will be attacked by many senseless "animal lovers"....lol!
But, yes....I do agree with every single point you have made! I would prefer saving people to saving strays!
Best of luck with your venture!
- Maddy.Private Reply to Maddy | Sep 09, 2009 7:39 am | | re: re: Stray dog menace - An appeal | # | Vivek Dev | | Thanks Maddy. I have faced a lot of flak from the animal rights fellows. In fact sometimes I wonder who are more vicious the four legged canines or their two legged handlers? Private Reply to Vivek Dev | Sep 09, 2009 8:20 am | | re: re: re: Stray dog menace - An appeal | # | Maddy | | Quoting Gandhiji in the issue of YOUNG INDIA(Oct-Dec 1926)...
"Perfect, erring mortals as we are, there is no course open to us but the destruction of rabid dogs. At times we may be faced with the unavoidable duty of killing even a man who is found in the act of killing people. [...] It is a thousand pities that the questions of stray dogs, etc. assume such a monstrous proportion in this sacred land of ahimsa. It is my firm conviction that we are propogating himsa in the name of ahimsa owing to our deep ignorance of this great principle...It is a sin, it should be a sin to feed stray dogs, and we should save numerous dogs if we had legislation making every stray dog liable to be shot.... Humanity is a noble attribute of the soul. It is not exhausted with saving a few dogs. Such saving may even be sinful." (YOUNG INDIA 21.10.26)
"The multiplication of dogs is unnecessary. A roving dog without an owner is a danger to society and a swarm of them is a menace to its (society's) very existence...But can we take individual charge of these roving dogs? And if we cannot, can we have a pinjarapole for them? If both these things are impossible, there seems to be no alternative except to kill them...I am, therefore, strongly of opinion that, if we would practise the religion of humanity, we should have a law making it obligatory on those who would have dogs to keep them under guard, and not allow them to stray, and making all stray dogs liable to be destroyed after a certain date." (YOUNG INDIA 28.10.26)
- Maddy.Private Reply to Maddy | Sep 10, 2009 4:24 pm | | re: Stray dog menace - An appeal | # | Ambika Kulshrestha | | Vivek, It is not only stray dogs, but pet dogs are also a menace. The attitude of the owners of the pet dogs is that, since they love their pet, all the people in the world should love their pet, without getting scared. Infact their statement is "no it will not do anything to you, you are absolutely safe, with it around you"
I would like to quote a few experiences which I myself have got.
Once I was passing through a building compound, all of a suddden there immerged a lady carrying not one but six dogs along with her with just one dog on leash and the rest five loose and when I stood still with fear where I was, she casually said "they are harmless, they won't do anything", only I knew at that time what I was undergoing, for a moment I thought at least one of them will pounce on me.
Another incident took place when I went shopping to a mall. I finished shopping and came out of the mall, all of a sudden it started raining so I stood under the roof of the mall, suddenly I saw a man standing with an Alcecion and a Doberman, thankfully this time on leash, but a few steps away from me and when I requested him to keep the dogs at a distance he fumed at me and said "but they are not doing anything to you", then I had to literally shout at the man so that he could undderstand the inconvinience caused to me, since I couldn't even move from there since it was raining very heavily.
These dog owners look down upon people who talk anything against their pet. A warning needs to be given to the dog owners to keep their favorite pets on leash and not to bring them in public places like parks, shopping malls etc.
Afterall, the dog owners should realise, that dogs are animals and you cannot predict the behaviour of an animal, who knows it might pounce on the owner one day.Private Reply to Ambika Kulshrestha | Sep 11, 2009 4:41 am | | re: re: re: Stray dog menace - An appeal | # | Satish Karekar | | About Stray Dogs/Cats
Stray dogs,are menace to children,old people. People's safety has priority over stray dogs.
Municipal authorities should take all steps to control dog population by as humane means as possible, without spending disproportionate amounts on 'rehabilitation of stray dogs'**.
Animal lovers should not overlook the real danger and fright caused to people who have to walk near them.
** Two years back BMC proposed Dog Shelter at Palghar and Thane on 43 Acre plots and budget of Rs.200 Crores ! and High Court Bench had approved basic idea !!
Private Reply to Satish Karekar | |
| |
| |