Hyderabad: ‘Kill Dogs’ Proposal Invites Flak From Activists

Hyderabad: Dog lovers in the city fumed at the Forum for Good Governance’s suggestion to the state government to kill stray dogs to tackle the menace, on the lines of the government’s earlier permission to kill wild boars in Hakimpet.

This was one of the recommendations of the forum at a high-level meeting called by the government and attended by GHMC and NGOs dealing with stray dogs.

The Telangana High Court had asked the government to take necessary action as cases of dog bites increased in the state.

Shafali Revathi Khana, a dog feeder and rescuer, said, “The recommendation of the forum is heart-breaking. These are the community dogs and they belong to that place. If the number of dogs has jumped to four lakhs and above, this is the failure of the GHMC. They did not carry out the animal birth control programme properly.”

“The government should have a close watch on NGOs who take funds, land and other aid from the government and private parties and do nothing for dogs. They should be exposed,” she added.

Stella Maris, an animal activist, said, “This is unfortunate when stray dogs attack humans. But when we probed into it, we found lots of human errors. We condemn the recommendation for killing community dogs.”

According to Gowri Vandana, “This is a bigger conflict. Man’s best friend is looked upon as his enemy. Special committees should be formed and proper remedies brought out. These animals must be given food by the authorities.”