HC lens on delay in animal birth control proposal nod

Cuttack: Orissa high court has sought a status report from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) on the application by Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) seeking approval for animal birth control (ABC) programme of stray dogs, which is pending for more than five months.The court had taken up the issue a month ago and directed CMC to submit an action plan to deal with it after members of the High Court Bar Association raised concerns.The special bench constituted for suo motu PILs on civic issues in Cuttack sought the status report on Thursday after hearing the submissions of govt advocate Jyoti Prakash Pattnaik and CMC’s health officer Dr Satyabrata Mohapatra. Patnaik submitted that certain steps are to be taken in view of the Supreme Court’s decision as well as the Centre’s notification of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.On July 16, the Supreme Court had ordered that stray dogs must not be indiscriminately killed and any action to manage their population must fall within the ambit of law. The Centre had notified the Animal Birth Control Rules on Mar 10, 2023, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. These Rules aim to address stray dog population management through sterilisation and immunisation programmes.Mohapatra stated that in pursuance of the decision and Rules, steps have already been taken and produced an application sent to AWBI. He stated that though the application was sent on March 19, no response has been received.Taking note of it, the court asked the deputy solicitor general to obtain instruction from AWBI chairman on the reason for delay in giving response to the application. The matter will be taken up next on Oct 3.

Animal welfare activists blame BBMP for dog-bite incidents

Animal activists in Bengaluru have accused BBMP of inefficiency in managing stray dogs, leading to recent dog bite incidents, including a fatal attack on a 76-year-old woman. They demand effective implementation of the animal birth control programme and criticize officials for neglecting feeding and vaccination efforts while prioritizing profit-driven projects.

Six stray cats missing from hsg society: Animal feeders

Cat feeders in Navi Mumbai report harassment from animal haters, with six cats disappearing from a Nerul housing society under suspicious circumstances. Despite complaints to the police and municipal authorities, no action has been taken. Activists stress the importance of coexistence and sterilization to address these issues.

Six stray cats missing from hsg society, say animal feeders

Cat feeders in Navi Mumbai are experiencing harassment from animal haters. In Nerul, six cats have mysteriously disappeared after a threatening WhatsApp message was posted. Complaints to the police and municipal authorities have not led to any action yet. Activists highlight the need for coexistence and sterilization of local cats to address the issue.