Stray dogs poisoned to death

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More than three dozen dogs have been poisoned to death in suburban Katuppakam on Monday.

As many as 29 carcasses were exhumed for investigation till Monday night, following an outcry from the public, as well as animal activists and members of the Blue Cross of India who lodged a police complaint seeking a probe into the issue.“This is not the first time such a inhumane act is happening.

The local bodies and vested interests continue to violate animal welfare norms and dogs have been killed using lethal injections,” said Dawn Williams, general manager, Blue Cross.

“The local body had itself indulged in the gruesome act and the irony is that even pet animals are not spared,” William said.

“Blue Cross has filed a case at the Poonamallee police station and two arrests have been made. Four more people are suspected behind the massive killing and the local panchayt supervisor has initiated the culling drive against the voiceless creatures,” William alleged.

“It has become routine for miscreants to kill stray dogs. As many as 70 stray dogs have been reportedly killed in the same manner in the area during the last few days.

This is the sixth incident of mass killing of stray dogs in the last one year,” said Sathya Radhakrishnan, honorary joint secretary, Blue Cross of India.As many as 14 police cases have been lodged against offenders for mass killing of dogs.

Of this, 10 cases have seen progress and four arrests have been made.

“Still a lot has to be done in this regard and the local bodies should be pulled up to ensure that barbaric acts do not recur,” he said.

“The failure of the local bodies to carry out animal birth control programmes has resulted in prolific breeding of dogs and it is high time government authorities woke up and handled the stray dog menace and the gruesome killing of canines,” said a government veterinary officer.