Greater Chennai Corporation intensifies dog capturing activities near Anna Square ahead of Republic Day

Greater Chennai Corporation captures dogs from Marina Beach after a stray interrupts parade practice; activists criticize methods.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) captured 86 dogs from Marina Beach near Anna Square after a stray allegedly intruded on parade practice recently.

GCC Veterinary Officer J. Kamal Hussain said the annual drive was intensified this time at the Marina Beach area after a stray dog ran across during a practice session of the parade. “After being spayed, the dogs will be discharged to their respective locations,” he said.

Meanwhile, activists claimed, in a message circulated on a social media app, that dogs, including elderly, pregnant, and blind ones, are captured from Anna Square to the Light House, 3.5 km away. Canines behind Ezhilagam and Chepauk are also targeted. Captured dogs are held without proper identification. Some succumb to Canine distemper (CD) disease — a contagious viral infection — in the shelters in Animal Birth Control centres while others are released weeks later at random beach locations. The use of metal string-equipped rods for capture violates Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) rules.

Shruti Vinod Raj, member of the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board, said some cases still come to the Board where the dogs left back have contracted canine distemper. Some steps that can help are ensuring usage of clean vans and nets while catching, and returning the dogs to their original location within a few days, she added.

“We do get mails on relocation too and the Corporation has been responsive to the Board in many cases. However, sensitising is an ongoing process and must be done regularly,” she said. The activists added that, however, after the Republic Day fete, the dog-catching activities reduced, with many catchers constantly claiming that the dog-catching vehicles break down.

The Veterinary Officer stated that of the total 16 vehicles, three vehicles are under repair and six more dog-catching vehicles that were recently procured will be deployed by the end of January after trials.

A dog catcher of the Greater Chennai Corporation, under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM), requesting anonymity, claimed he completed the 15-day training at the Worldwide Veterinary Service in Ooty in 2002, but the same cannot be said for all catchers, which may the cause for capturing of ineligible dogs. He added that in case of emergency complaints such as a rabid dog biting people, vehicles from other zones were used to attend to the problem.