A newspaper report today in Times of India described how the
problem of stray dogs has become huge in India even in previously pristine
places like Nainital. Children face the gravest threats from them and some are
killed from time to time in an attack. These dogs roam free and fearless in
cities and enter all public areas including hospitals. Recently one was found
feasting on a dead body in a hospital in Lucknow
the capital city of the largest province
of India. In Nainital the
municipal body said that they had caught hold of some and sterilized them.
Municipal bodies have said that for the last thirty years and the problem has
only increased.
Not only are these dogs a danger and nuisance in urban areas
they also create a huge noise problem when they get into long barking matches.
They are disrupting the sleep and therefore also the health of hundreds of
millions of Indians. The simple question that needs to be answered is that
are stray dogs compatible with human life in cities? 99% would answer- no – and
that they should be removed.
India
needs to follow the practice of developed countries now to solve this problem.
Catch them, take them to a dog compound, try to find if someone wants to adopt
them and if not put them to sleep by the most compassionate means available
through modern medical science with a prayer that this proud and faithful
animal find a new life that is better and more respectable.
Some dog lovers speak against the practice of compassionate medical termination of dogs. They should be given an opportunity to provide a home for these dogs but if they cannot, they must not be allowed to condemn these dogs to a homeless life on the streets living on garbage, and eventually for their life to end uncared with disease, starvation or in a dog fight when they are old and too feeble to defend or run away.
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