DR. GH RASOOL |SHAH ABUL KALAM
The pervasive issue of stray animals has cast its ominous shadow across all demographics, inducing fear among individuals of every age bracket. The Post Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated this predicament, amplifying the presence of wandering creatures such as dogs, cattle, horses, feral cats, abjured pets, and even wild animals. Commuters find themselves ensnared in the peril of encountering these animals in both urban and rural landscapes. The deleterious consequences extend to the environment, marked by a confluence of nuisance, pollution, and human-animal conflicts.
Regrettably, the burgeoning problem shows no signs of abating, compounded by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) constrained capacity to curb the escalating stray animal population, hampered further by limited staff and operational constraints. Simultaneously, a lack of awareness among the populace has resulted in the release of more animals—horses, cattle, and Dogs—into the public domain in search of sustenance. Beyond posing physical threats to humans, these unleashed creatures pose a formidable public health hazard, disseminating potential zoonotic infections. These creatures belong to everyone, and assigning blame for such inhumane actions is a shared responsibility between the public and authorities.
The repercussions of the increasing population of stray animals affect the general public. The influx of more animals onto streets and roads contributes to congestion and traffic mess at occasions. Injured animals lying by the roadside distress the local community. The rising incidence of dog bites, especially among children, is a growing concern. Unfed and unrestrained animals succumb to hunger, accidents, or illnesses, emitting unpleasant environmental odors.
The Holy Quran emphasizes kindness to animals, providing a basis for humane treatment. The Almighty Allah has assigned space to all its creations: “And the earth, He has assigned it to all living creatures” (Qur’an 55:10). This reflects that the earth is not only meant to be used by the human race, but for all the living beings–be these insects, rodents, animals, birds, or the water creatures. The significance of animals in Islam is evident from the fact that out of 114 Suras (Chapters) in the Holy Quran, six have been named after them. Among these are Al-Baqarah (The cow), Al-Anaam (The cattle) etc.
There are countless instances were Prophet Muhammad (SAW) decreed that animals be treated with care and utmost benevolence and I quote ”Show mercy to those on earth, and He who is in heaven will show mercy unto you.”
Despite legal frameworks like the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960) and the establishment of organizations like People for Animals (PFA), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Humane Society International, and In Defense of Animals, the implementation of laws and penalties remains inadequate, with revisions and effective enforcement awaiting now for six decades.
Article 51 (G) of the Indian Constitution empowers citizens to protect the natural environment and exhibit compassion for living creatures. It mandates the creation of laws to prevent unnecessary pain and suffering of animals, forbidding activities such as poaching, smuggling, and illegal trade of wild and stray animals. This legislation also emphasizes the identification of locations for feeding, sterilization, and vaccination of stray dogs.
India has about 62 million stray dogs, according to the State of Pet Homelessness Index 2021 by Mars Petcare, the global pet health and nutrition company and the largest number of rabies deaths in the world Official data from the Anti Rabies Clinic (ARC) at SMHS Srinagar reveals a concerning number of 68,000 reported dog bite cases since 2004. Furthermore, between April 2019 and February 2020, out of 6,319 registered cases, 3,975 were in Srinagar, predominantly affecting children under the age of 10. ARC reports instances of deaths resulting from serious injuries inflicted by stray dogs, prompting the State Rights Commission to take notice, yet tangible actions on the ground remain elusive.
The World Health Organization’s National Multi-Centric Rabies Survey (2006) indicates a human-dog ratio of 1:36 in the country, considering the reproductive capacity of female dogs. Aggression or provocation in dogs, stemming from factors like sexual, maternal, rabies, food, fear, and territorial behaviors, often lead to attacks on humans. Animal Birth Control (ABC) programs address sexual and maternal aggression, while Anti Rabies Vaccination
(ARV) addresses rabies-related aggression.
Sterilization initiatives such as the ABC centers and nationwide mobile clinics, like the one established in Leh city in 2019, play a pivotal role in effectively managing the burgeoning stray dog population. Noteworthy organizations such as Healing Pat assert their active involvement in rescuing stray animals and combating the issue in Kashmir. The Srinagar Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences at Shuhama campus, SKUAST-K, initiated a commendable ABC project several years ago, yielding positive results. Despite these efforts, reports of stray dog deaths and the menace persist in Kashmir, as highlighted in newspapers, exemplified by the alarming increase in stray dog deaths due to hunger in June 2020 (Greater Kashmir, June, 2020).
Every day, we witness news reports of children being mauled by dogs, the elderly being attacked by dogs, and animals roaming in hospital premises. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the ABC program. Is the Srinagar municipal corporation (SMC) or other district municipalities failing to meet its targets in addressing the issue of the stray dog population and the associated problems?
Way forward
There is a pressing need to enhance the target for sterilizations and increase the veterinary staff in existing Animal Birth Control (ABC) programs to ensure greater efficiency. Additionally, it is imperative to allocate mobile ABC units to each district, equipped with the necessary personnel for capturing, scientifically sterilizing, providing post-operative care, and releasing animals back to their designated areas.
The problem of stray cattle and horses is day by escalating day in Kashmir. Dairy businesses in the city allow their cows to roam freely after milking, while horse owners release their horses and foals into wetlands and meadows. These animals then make their way to markets and streets, causing widespread chaos. In search of food, they wander into every nook and cranny, leading to accidents and huge for pedestrians.
Stray animals require shelter and adoption to prevent them from becoming more feral or experiencing distressing conditions.
The cattle pond in Tengpora, Srinagar, initially intended as a temporary shelter, has inadvertently transformed into a breeding ground for infections, aggravated by the elusive owners who evade tracing and fines. The absence of a control room for consulting on the evacuation of stray animals from roads exacerbates the issue. The presence of dead animal carcasses in localities serves as a feeding ground for free-roaming dogs, contributing to the escalating dog menace. Stray cattle and horses are frequently presented at the state Animal Husbandry hospitals and our Referral Veterinary Hospital in Shuhama, SKUAST-K. Often, they arrive in a critical state, succumbing to hunger-induced hypoglycemia or bearing severe injuries sustained on roads, thereby compromising ethical treatment of animals.
An initiative by the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), under the directives of the J&K High Court, involving Radio Frequency Identification Tags (RFID), proves beneficial. The injected tags, identified by readers, effectively control population growth, curb theft and smuggling, and streamline processes by reducing the labor associated with animal tracing, vaccination, and medicaments. The implementation of RFID has been mandated for the registration of dairy animals in the municipality, highlighting the necessity for widespread adoption of this technology.
The imperative for both the public and governmental entities to jointly implement preemptive strategies to tackle the convergence of issues pertaining to animal, human and environmental health while also ensuring that the ethical treatment is upheld.The public should advocate for responsible actions, such as refraining from releasing animals into the open, and promptly transferring ailing animals to dedicated care centers. NGOs require authentic support, particularly amidst the ongoing pandemic-induced hunger crisis for stray animals. Authorities must intervene by (i) investigating and penalizing identified owners for releasing their animals; (ii) promoting the creation of facilities to rescue and relocate sick animals to appropriate care centers; (iii) allocating adequate and segregated funds for the nourishment shelter, sterilization, and health management of diverse stray animals; and (iv) establishing mobile dog sterilization units and comprehensive shelters for stray animals, including cattle ponds and horse shelters, equipped with scientific infrastructure, in each district.
(Dr. Gh Rasool is working as Assistant professor Veterinary Clinical Complex FVSc & AH SKUAST-Kashmir, Shuhama and Shah Abul Kalam is an undergraduate BVSc intern at FVSc& Ah Skuast-K Shuhama. Email:[email protected])
