Who does the stray dog in Mumbai belong to? Mumbaikars, NGOs or the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation? No one’s really staking responsibility and that has resulted in a bitter court battle between the NGOs and the BMC over getting rid of the lot. In 1994, the BMC started the Animal Birth Control (ABC) (sterilsation programme) to eliminate stray dog menace.In 3 years, the BMC claimed to have sterilised 1,99,374 animals and there were only 74,926 strays left.Today, the number of strays has risen five times. Though the BMC takes help of NGOs for the sterilisations programme, it is nowhere close to castrating the entire stray dog population.There are various reasons for this.
One, the lack of enthusiasm on part of the BMC which has always been in favour of killing stray animals rather than neuturing them. So the pickup of stray dogs in done in a haphazard and cruel manner with ropes, gunny bags and small sickles. Second, NGOs do not do the job most earnestly. They claim to be burdened with other responsibilities. Besides, NGOs have little space in the animal shelters to accommodate every animal that is brought.
Added to that, the NGOs are paid a measly Rs 300 per dog which is little for the efforts that go into the exercise. We spoke to a BMC official who said that Mumbai will never reach a stage of sterilising every dog because they reproduce very fast. NGOS say the city needs to have patience. “It is not an overnight task to sterilise all strays. It will take years,” said an official from an NGO.
But the biggest problem is the city’s attitude towards stray animals. Mahatma Gandhi once said that the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Sadly, India, more Mumbai proves the adage right. Countless stories on animal cruelty hit the papers every day. Parents seems to have stopped sensitising their children about animals. An an injured animal on the road moves no one. Some days ago, a bull was lying injured on the road and help came hours later. It is easy to frame photos of cows and worship them, it is difficult to attend to an injured bull. Some housing societies are known to poison stray animals by the dozen. The few who fight for the strays are always engaged in a losing battle. With no laws to protect animals in our country, the police at the most file an NC and slap a meagre fine.
NGOs have found a small way out though. They have started animal sensitising programmes in schools which seem to be eliciting a good response. In the programmes, children are taught to not only appreciate animals but also care for them. That animals have a right to exist just like human beings is what is made known. But whether these programmes will produce empathetic adults, only time will tell.