MCD plan to remove stray dogs for month for G20 Summit illegal, impractical: PFA

New Delhi: People for Animals (PFA) has termed "illegal, impractical, and unwarranted" the plan of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to remove stray dogs from the streets of the national capital for sterilisation in the wake of the G20 Summit scheduled next month.

A circular issued by the MCD on Wednesday said a massive sterilisation programme for dogs will start from Thursday and will continue till August 30.

According to the circular, the stray dogs will be kept at the Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres temporarily due to the G-20 Summit. However, these dogs will be released back to the same locations they were picked up from.

All the stray dogs picked up shall be kept at ABC centres for their further care and feeding till the programme is over, it said.

Terming the action as "arbitrary", Ambika Shukla, a PFA Trustee, said catching and confinement of stray dogs is both cruel and unnecessary.

"Clearly, no planning or thought has gone into this initiative. No notice, no consultation, no procurement of nets, no staff training, no nothing. All ABC units are opposing this move as it is illegal, impractical and unwarranted," she said in a statement.

It said apart from being unnecessary, it is also illegal to pick up sterilised dogs, which is impractical.

"ABC centres are quick-release facilities and they do not have the space, staff, or infrastructure to house dogs for a month safely. The dogs are severely at risk from catching infections in such close and prolonged confinement," the statement said.