News
Activists see futility of shelters and instead want to stop dumping of dogs on streets
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
Animal rights activists are sceptical of the proposal in the budget to introduce services and facilities to take care of street dogs as well as burial and cremation of pets.
The proposal is being seen as impractical and as an initiative which would be used to create an animal-loving image of the President. The government has admitted setbacks in resolving the monkey pest issue and the human-elephant conflict.
Activists said the government should understand the street dog issue and undertake scientific and practical solutions.
They agree that vaccinating dogs and creating a herd immunity, and neutering should be done to address the increasing number of street dogs and to control rabies.
Activists agree vaccinating dogs, creating herd immunity, and neutering should be done to address the increasing number of street dogs and to control rabies. Pix by Akila Jayawardena
They also point to the need for policies on registering and regulating dog ownership so no one could keep unvaccinated dogs, allow dogs free roaming on streets, or dumping pups or dogs.
Animal Rights Activist Champa Fernando who is also the Secretary of Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare, said vaccinations and neutering should be given
priority.
She views the budget proposal as an enigma as it mentioned the care of street dogs, and burial and cremation, which are contradictions.
“Setting up shelters for strays, or crematoriums for pets is not what is needed. Stopping people from creating strays is what is needed,” she said.
Ms Fernando said many are unable to afford good funeral services as it had become a business, where services are provided for packages. Crematoriums needs to be booked. The government should address that issue before considering a pilot on setting up crematoria and burial grounds for dogs.
The Sunday Times learned that there are many practical issues at dog shelters. Sri Lankans would dump unwanted pups in these places until the shelters become overwhelmed. When the number of animals increases, it raises the risks of disease outbreaks, including parasitic infections.
Some government run shelters have failed. Some were in Wennappuwa, Trincomalee and Nellikulama, animal rights activists claimed.
They said dogs are pack animals and when keeping them in shelters, practical issues occur. There are logistical issues of keeping them, feeding, and maintaining clean premises.
Setting aside funds to build dog shelters is fundamentally misguided, they believe.
Lawyer and Animal Welfare advocate, Lalani Perera said “government shelters’’ should not be promoted.
“One vividly remembers the government shelter in Nellikulama, a few years ago, and where hundreds of dogs were just dumped – a ‘house of horror’, without any facilities — where volunteers had to rush to save at least a handful of animals before they succumbed to their terrible fate,” she said.
According to her, the government should support community measures – internationally accepted methods of care, such as adoption. Apart from that she said that in 2006 Sri Lanka adopted a no kill policy with catch, neuter, vaccinate, and release. It is legally recognised but not implemented.
She said an alleged non-allocation of funds is said to have set it back and pointed out that it is imperative that fund allocation continues.
Another faction of animal rights activists pointed out the need to enact the long-delayed Animal Welfare Bill to care for the living dogs without legal protection.
Panchali Panapitiya, executive director of Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE) said building facilities for dogs after death may offer comfort to grieving pet owners, but it serves humans more than it helps animals.
“A cemetery for dogs is not inherently a bad idea, as it allows people to mourn and respect their pets, however the Government’s priorities are deeply misplaced,’’ she said.
She said the Animal Welfare Bill is far more urgent, and to date, the Government has shown no meaningful progress toward passing the bill. Ms Panapitiya said only a fraction of the population will use a pet cemetery.
She proposed that at least 200,000 dogs a year be sterilised for five consecutive years. Neutering should be made mandatory for all pet dogs and cats. Volunteer programmes should be created for foreign veterinarians and vet nurses to assist in large-scale sterilisation camps.
Some animal rights activists said they are not clear about the allocation of Rs 100 million. Others praised the allocation but are unsure how the money would be used.
Director of the Public Veterinary Health Services, Dr Niroshan Gamage explained funds from the Health Ministry can be used to achieve at least 25% of vaccinations.
He said that if 70% of the dogs are vaccinated for rabies a herd immunity could be developed. Street dogs should be sterilised to control populations.
| Call to punish irresponsible pet owners The Director of the Public veterinary Health Services, Dr Nirosha Gamage called on pet owners to be responsible and that the laws should be used against those who are not. He said that local authorities such as urban councils, municipal councils, and provincial councils have laws and regulations on registration of dogs as well as how to keep them. Dr Gamage said laws are available, but not implemented. Laws should be implemented to regulate vaccination, breeding as well as to stop people from dumping dogs on streets. | |
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