(IN) High Court favors impounding dogs

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 2007:

 

 

High Court favors impounding dogs

 

MUMBAI--The Constitutional bench of the Bombay High Court on

April 20, 2007 heard arguments on the constitutionality of Animal

Birth Control programs in Mumbai and Goa. The cases before the High

Court parallel claims made by ABC program opponents in Bangalore and

Hyderabad that releasing street dogs after sterilization

unconstitutionally jeopardizes the safety of citizens.

" The 3-judges bench is expected to direct setting up

committees as per the ABC rules to monitor the implementation and

progress of ABC in Mumbai and in Goa, " reported Mumbai attorney

Norma Alvares. " The judges have accepted the argument that killing

dogs is not the solution to the problem, and want to give ABC a

chance to show that it is effective in reducing the numbers of dogs

and curbing rabies.

" One of the judges wanted the dogs to be moved out of the

city once they are sterilized, " Alvarez noted. " That would have

been impossible to do, and would be contrary to the program, " which

counts upon sterilized dogs occupying food sources so that

unvaccinated and unsterilized dogs cannot invade their habitat and

multiply.

" Finally, " Alvares continued, " he accepted that all dogs

cannot be sent out, but still felt that at least some dogs must go

to a pound so as to reduce the number of dogs on the street. The

court is therefore directing that the authorities set up dog pounds.

" I supported the idea of state dog pounds, " Alvares said,

" because all of us receive complaints now and then from people about

aggressive dogs troubling people on the street, and none of us have

place to accommodate such animals over long periods of time. If the

government sets up a dog pound, these animals can be transferred

there and this will appease the public. "

Mumbai municipality and Goa state are to report progress to

the court on June 22, Alvares said.

The Bombay High Court heard the case one day after

Pudu-cherry chief minister N. Rangasamy told the Puducherry Congress

that his administration is soon to institute dog impoundment,

emulating Bangalore.

Puducherry, on the southern coast of the Bay of Bengal, is

the onetime French outpost formerly called Pondicherry.

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

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