DGP Loknath Behera's novel initiative to adopt strays

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: DGP Loknath Behera has come out with a novel initiative to entrust police stations with the care of dogs. This comes after Mr Behera was pulled up by Ms Maneka Gandhi, animal rights activist and Union Minister for  Women and Child Development, on culling of stray dogs during the national BJP council meeting in Kozhikode last month. Mr Behera will  inaugurate the scheme at Chandrasekharan Nair stadium  on Tuesday by handing over five stray dogs to different police stations here.

After he decided to initiate the protection of strays, dog catchers caught five of them from Malayinkeezhu and near Ganapathy Kovil at East Fort. The oldest is aged seven months  and the youngest under three months. They have been provided ABC surgery as well as rabies vaccination and housed at the district veterinary hospital at Pettah.  Mr Behera is being assisted by his colleagues, Rajesh Divan (DGP, police headquarters) and Nithin Agarwal (ADGP, Armed Police Battalion).

“We are yet to name the pilot project. We want to send out the message that stray dogs too have a stake here. Nature has given us everything and it’s a small step from our side to provide shelter to stray dogs”, said Mr. Divan who  owns a Labrador. Five police stations will be handed over a stray dog each and the police team  will take care of its needs. The names of the five police stations would be known only on Tuesday. There are over 25 police stations in Thiruvananthapuram city.