Saurabh Singh, a fitness enthusiast in Lucknow, says civic bodies alone cannot manage strays; animal lovers and residents groups must step it to find a middle path. His views:
I recently shifted to a newly developed area in Lucknow as the core city was getting crowded and cramped with each passing day. I chose this locality as it has green surroundings and ample public space to take walks at any given time of the day. However, as the rule of nature goes in our culture and country, public spaces are often shared by wandering canines, bovines etc.
There are times when these animals are often in conflict with one another over territorial issues or sharing of food. Such noisy fights can be a nuisance to the old and frightening to the young. However, in any progressive society, there must be a civilised way to deal with an issue and we cannot turn a blind eye to the plight of an abandoned, homeless creature, as happened in the case of Supreme Court earlier decision to cramp all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR into state shelter.
A permanent and a benevolent solution to such issues begin with expert scientific approach, backed by state machinery, skilled workforce and wherewithal. The other aspect is time. You cannot solve an issue of this magnitude in a matter of weeks, as directed earlier by the Supreme Court bench. How can any government or civic administration achieve such Herculean task with limited resources?
The statistics appearing in the media are mind-numbing. There are about 10 lakh stray dogs roaming on the streets of Delhi-NCR while the Municipal Corporation of Delhi only has a meagre 20 such facilities to treat or sterilize the abandoned dogs!
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Surprisingly, in 2024, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court also took suo moto cognizance of the stray dog menace in Lucknow, registering a case to address the issue after a minor boy was mauled to death by a pack of strays. The court directed the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) to explain the steps being taken to curb the menace. The LMC was asked to explain the measures being taken to control the stray dog population and address the issue of attacks, including the implementation of Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.
However, besides the increased activity of the animal-catching staff of the LMC and some hyper activities of various departments (which were highlighted in the local media for a few days), no concrete and visible action was taken and the situation remains the same in all the localities of Lucknow.
The responsibility for managing stray animals does not lie solely with the judiciary or the municipal authorities. Civil society organisations, residents welfare associations, animal rights activists and individuals have a collective role to play. Most of the Indian cities face similar challenges, where the stray dog population is the unintended consequence of inadequate waste management, urban sprawl, and a lack of robust sterilisation programmes.
The issue is a complex one with valid arguments on both sides. It is not a simple dichotomy between being an animal lover and prioritizing public safety. A citizen can be both an animal lover and concerned about public safety. Thus there is a strong need to establish or to derive a middle path for this.
As told to Rajat Rai
