Dogs found healthy during inspection at Rohini shelter house, no signs of cruelty
A day after a protest erupted at a dog shelter in Sector 27, Rohini, over alleged cruelty to the animals, the place remains empty even as the protesters were allowed to visit the shelter in a batch of five by the local authorities.
When this correspondent visited the place on Saturday, there were some dog lovers who were standing outside the shelter, which a day earlier was occupied by people voicing concern over the treatment of stray dogs there.
Rajesh, who runs a shop near the centre, said the controversy began when dog feeders tracked a batch of captured stray dogs to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) centre in Sector 27, Rohini.
Upon arrival, they allegedly found a skeleton in the backyard, prompting them to alert other animal lovers and organise a protest.
Activist Jiya Saklani claimed that the protesters saw faces everywhere, organs in the open and dogs in a lethargic state, and started to protest. “The police intervened and did not allow us to go inside and used force against us,” Saklani said.
However, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) Hareshwar V Swami refuted the allegations of police assault, stating that a scuffle occurred when the police tried to remove protesters who were instigating the crowd.
The DCP added that members of various NGOs and animal lovers gathered at the shelter, pressing for the release of the dogs and alleged that the animals were being subjected to mistreatment and they wanted to inspect the premises.
In view of the situation, an inspection of the shelter home was allowed by constituting different groups comprising five members each from among the protesters.
During the inspection, it was observed that a total of 113 stray dogs were housed in the shelter. All of them were found to be in a healthy condition and no signs of cruelty or mistreatment were detected, the cop added.
Samridhi Singh, an avid pet lover, who visited the premises, stated that the dogs were fine and not subjected to mistreatment. Only one dog was found to be unwell, and it was already receiving proper treatment, she added.
Meanwhile, Dr Rajeev, MCD veterinary doctor, also confirmed that the dogs were safe in shelter home. “We have shown the pet lovers a list of dogs in the shelter house and also made some of them visit the premises,” he added.
The protest comes after the Supreme Court’s recent directive on stray dogs, which mandates capture, sterilisation, vaccination and release.
The apex court emphasised designated feeding points in every neighbourhood and allowed for the detention of aggressive dogs.
Meanwhile, the key demands of protesters include improved shelter conditions, better hygiene, food, veterinary care for dogs, regular audits and monitoring of shelter operations.
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