Jindal university students rally against removal of dogs on campus

Members of the Animal Welfare Society (AWS) at Jindal Global Law University staged a protest on Friday against the alleged removal of dogs from the university campus. The students said all campus dogs are fully vaccinated and sterilised.

The protesters said that, following the recent Supreme Court directive on stray dogs, the university administration began the process of removing campus dogs without transparency or consultation. This, they argued, was done despite the animals being vaccinated, tagged, monitored and having coexisted peacefully with students for years.

More than 300 students gathered to oppose what they termed the “forced removal” of the animals and to call for humane, lawful and accountable procedures. They said that, unlike several universities across India which had handled the order with dialogue and compassion, the JGU administration acted abruptly, misled students about its intentions and declined to involve AWS or student representatives in decision-making.

According to students, the administration verbally assured them during the protest that a petition link would be circulated, and if a majority of students voted against relocation, the Supreme Court order would not apply. They were told that, should relocation ever be required, it would only be to a high-standard shelter capable of caring for all dogs safely and humanely, and that no unilateral or covert removals would take place.

However, students said these verbal commitments appeared to be attempts to pacify the protesters. They noted that no such high-standard shelter currently exists in the country to house the dogs.

The students’ body also contacted Maneka Sanjay Gandhi of PFA regarding the issue. In her response, Gandhi said she had spoken to the university’s Vice-Chancellor, as well as to Harshit Kumar, Commissioner of the Sonepat Municipal Corporation, who reportedly confirmed that the civic body has no dog shelter.

A student, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that all campus dogs were properly vaccinated and sterilised, and that about 270 AWS members were caring for nearly 70 dogs. The animals were also colour-tagged with collars — Red (non-friendly), Orange (friendly but can turn aggressive), Yellow (keep distance) and Green (friendly) — to help identify their temperament. Weekly veterinary check-ups were also arranged by the students.

The university has provided minutes of its meeting with AWS, but students claimed these were inconsistent with what had been conveyed earlier. They said preparations were now under way for an Open House on the issue, likely to be held on Tuesday.

A university spokesperson, however, refuted the allegations and described reports of dog removal as mere “rumours”. The spokesperson said all dogs on campus were fully vaccinated and sterilised.