On Saturday the 17th of September, I made a reluctant phone call to a person I had hoped to reach a really long time ago. Mr. Mahendra Shrimali, a renowned Animal Welfare Activist in Ahmedabad, co-ordinator of People For Animals - Ahmedabad Chapter, dedicates his untiring efforts round the clock to attend to stray dogs in need of care around the city. Setting aside his precious time, Mr. Shrimali immediately welcomed me to interact on the very same afternoon.
As I entered his house I was overwhelmed by a strong scent like that of an animal shelter, which quickly told me that a number of fortunate dogs had found refuge on the upper storey of his humble duplex. He introduced me to a dog paralyzed in her hind legs. Her face reminded me of Champa, and we became instant buddies. Mr. Shrimali specializes in the care of dogs suffering from paralysis. He at once sets the record straight by asserting that while the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 gave power only to bodies conducting ABC program for stray dogs, to 'lift' stray dogs from their original location for the purpose of sterilization; as the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation does not conduct any such program, their act of 'lifting' stray dogs in Dog Vans is illegal. Moreover, the 'lifted' dogs are taken to an outskirts area of the city and left - a punishable offense under Section 503 of the Indian Penal Code that prohibits displacing a stray dog from its original territory.
He shared critical information on the abominable corruption taking place among NGO as well as Municipal Corporation circles with regard to stray dog control programs that never seem to take effect. One of the valid points raised was thus, that, would the dedicated Stray Dog NGOs take up mass sterilization on war-footing, and resolve the issue once and for all, there would be thin opportunity in future for funds and under-table transactions to fill the thirsty pockets of the 'concerned' officials. This was an astounding revelation, and so was the fact that the Gujarat Government in its Dog Census of Ahmedabad District has come up with an abysmal figure of 65000 dogs, when more than 2 lakh are numbered in Ahmedabad city itself.
Mr. Shrimali reaffirmed the relevance of my project to the need of the hour. He went on to share several stories of how legal intervention was instrumental in disposing justice to stray dogs. In one exemplary incident in Paldi area of Ahmedabad, Police Constables were deployed by the regional PI to offer protection to a set of dogs! In general citizens are unaware of laws protecting animals, and simply spreading awareness about these can effect considerable mitigation of cruelty and injustice against animals. This was a crucial addition to the project's awareness objectives. On being asked how the awareness should be created, and whom to address, he said that children should be a prime target audience as sensitization at a young age is most desirable.
