Fund crunch leads to infra woes at Animal Birth Control centres
New Delhi: The appalling conditions at Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres across Delhi have come to light with complaints of poor infrastructure.
Infrastructure woes have plagued the Timarpur Neighborhood Woof’s ABC centre, as deteriorating roofs infested with rats have put the animals and workers in dire straits. The lack of funding has resulted in a deficient drainage system, transforming the facility into a breeding ground for various diseases.
Ayesha Christina Benn, Managing Trustee of My Neighbourhood Woof ABC, lamented the dire situation, highlighting the absence of a proper isolation room for rabid dogs. This not only jeopardises the health of other dogs but also poses a grave threat to the dedicated staff and the surrounding community.
Other ABC centers across Delhi have revealed disconcerting realities. The Rohini Sector 27 centre has shockingly neglected post-operative care, leaving dogs with unattended wounds prone to infections. Centers located on Bela Road and Masood Pur have been criticised for cramming dogs into cramped spaces during sterilisation procedures, displaying an alarming disregard for the animals’ well being.
The emergence of these distressing facts can be attributed, in part, to the impending Independence Day celebrations and the forthcoming G20 summit, prompting the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to intensify efforts to remove dogs from the vicinity.
The method employed for capturing and relocating dogs, known as geotagging, has come under scrutiny due to its deeply problematic lack of execution.
Abandoning dogs in undisclosed locations has led to trauma and confusion among the animals, requiring months of effort to trace their origins.
Malabica Chakraborty, representing the Wagging Tales Foundation, underscored the need for humane practices, emphasising the traumatising impact of the current approach. Chakraborty urged MCD officials to adopt a more compassionate approach by employing nets for dog capture and avoiding harm during the process.
MCD had initially announced plans for a month-long campaign to remove street dogs from 50 locations across the capital. However, this decision was hastily revoked, casting doubts on the authorities’ commitment to addressing the issue effectively. Animals however continue to be collected and placed within these
centres without proper geotagging or essential blood tests to prevent the spread of rabies.
MCD’s veterinary department officials resort to a bizarre and inhumane practice during their inspections at sterilisation centres. They insist on physically counting animal genitalia to verify the procedure’s accuracy, an indignity that Ganesh, an employee at the Neighbourhood Woof, faces. This deeply troubling practice highlights the lack of adequate protocol and raises serious concerns about the exposure of workers to toxic substances, including formaldehyde.
When approached for comment by the Millennium Post, MCD officials declined to respond.
