Get SPCA, Chandigarh, India, to function in the right earnest; incorporate welfare concerns in dog sterilisation
- von: A concerned resident
- empfänger: Advisor to UT Administrator
Having stopped funding to the SPCA, Chandigarh (India), late last year in the wake of allegations of cruelty and misappropriation of funds, Chandigarh administration formed its own Society for Welfare of Animals in March, but later urged the SPCA for a merger.
What followed were talks, and things being put off. As doctors had not been receiving salaries, they left. So did workers for want of pay.
Some workers chose to stay on. How whole-heartedly or half-heartedly they worked without salaries, is anybody’s guess.
Many unfortunate deaths later, as the administration got entry into the shelter on June 4, a number of the remaining workers were expelled. They include those who told outsiders the truth of medical attention not being available at the shelter. In keeping with an earlier practice, cattle have been transported to an over-crowded cowshed elsewhere. Many have been reported missing too.
Intimidation of volunteers has continued as deployment of dedicated doctors continues to elude the shelter. Volunteers have noticed deaths of animals and birds owing to lack of adequate medical attention and care even after the takeover.
On July 8, Chandigarh administration made a series of announcements including that for a rescue unit whose men would soon be available round the clock, but things have not got going. Pending salaries have been released, partially, with tremendous dilly-dallying.
At an animal birth control centre close by, emphasis is on rushing through with surgeries to "meet targets".
Animal welfare activists, residents and Animal Welfare Board of India members have visited the centre set up by the Municipal Corporation and underlined concerns. Instead of willingly setting things right, the Municipal Corporation decided to write to the welfare board, asking it as to under what authority it was sending its members there.
Dogs have been released back prematurely - even displaced from areas where they were picked up. There have been deaths of canines owing to inadequate post-surgical care.
Residents have pointed out that during the rainy season, the infection risk increases and thus, sterilisation surgeries are not advisable at this time. In fact, elsewhere, such programmes have been halted at this time. But unmindful of these concerns, the programme hurries along in Chandigarh.
It's happening all around us - Human and animal rights and concerns often get a raw deal owing to whimsical notions and rank adhocism. Let's make a difference for the better.
Employees and animals have been suffering at the SPCA shelter at Sector 38 (west), Chandigarh. In the wake of allegations of misappropriation of funds and cruelty, the administration stopped funding to the NGO late last year. While salaries of some employees has partially been released with tremendous dilly-dallying, many of them have been expelled while others have been asked to leave. Since April, the shelter has not had a dedicated doctor deployed here.
SPCA members were expelled apparently owing to malafide intent.
Many unfortunate deaths later, as the Chandigarh administration got entry into the shelter on June 4, a number of the remaining workers were expelled. They include those who told outsiders the truth of medical attention not being available. In keeping with an earlier practice, cattle have been transported to an over-crowded cowshed elsewhere.
As for rescue and rehabilitation, there has been no deployment of doctors dedicated to the shelter. Volunteers have noticed deaths of animals and birds owing to lack of adequate medical attention and care even after the takeover. Workers say doctors from neighbouring government dispensaries do visit the shelter. Volunteers have continued to face intimidation at the hands of those at the helm of affairs, with threats having been issued.
In context of distemper, a highly contagious and potentially fatal viral infection, Dr Lovelesh Gupta, Joint Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, Chandigarh administration, stated: “Distemper is untreatable,” which of course is not true. Volunteers say earlier, there was special care for such cases at the shelter – Not anymore.
On July 8, the administration came up with announcements including that for a rescue unit whose men would soon be available round the clock. Ever since, for reasons best known to the authorities, things haven’t got going - No new admissions are being made. The admissions were stopped many months ago. Workers, including those expelled, are yet to receive pending salaries.
Sick and ailing cattle are not getting proper medical attention. No doctor apparently visits the shelter at all on Sundays, since that’s a holiday at the dispensaries. This is particularly alarming in the light of serious cases.
As for an animal birth control centre close by, animal welfare activists, residents and Animal Welfare Board of India members have visited it and underlined concerns.
The Municipal Corporation, instead of setting its house in order, decided to write to the welfare board, asking it as to under what authority it was sending its members there.
Dogs have been released back prematurely - even displaced from areas where they were picked up. There have been deaths of canines owing to inadequate post-surgical care.
Residents have pointed out that during the rainy season, the infection risk increases and thus sterilisation surgeries are not advisable at this time. In fact, elsewhere, such programmes have been halted at this time. But unmindful of these concerns, the programme hurries along in Chandigarh.
There are residents willing to pump in finances and contribute actively to get things going at the shelter.
Please get the shelter to function in the right earnest and let welfare concerns be incorporated in the dog sterilisation programme.
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