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Animal welfare goes to the dogs
Stray Dogs – Lackadiscal attitude of NGO’s
Source – Midday, September 18, 2005
Animal welfare goes to the dogs By: Prashant Rangnekar September 18, 2005
Mumbai’s animal welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs) make various claims about their love for animals, but the reality is extremely different. Sunday Mid Day reporter Prashant Rangnekar recounts what happened when he tried to get medical help from them for a stray dog, Lalya, who is infected with maggots.
September 16
11.25 am: I call up Welfare of Stray Dogs, an NGO. A certain Shirley answers the call. After I brief her about the problem, she replies, “We only have centres till Sion and Bandra. But I can help you with another NGO who works in the suburbs.” She informs me about an NGO called Karuna, which is active near Mulund.
11.30 am: I turn my attention to People for Ethical Treatment Animals (PETA). When I dial their helpline number, here’s the recorded message that plays, “If you are calling for animal emergency, then call up Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (BSPCA). PETA is not an animal shelter.”
11.40 am: I dial the BSPCA number and an operator, Sujata, answers my call. She hears me out patiently and replies, “All our wards are full and there can be no further admissions. We have a capacity of 200 kennels, and right now there are 400 animals.” I plead my case vociferously, but soon, Sujata gets vociferous too.
11.45 am: NGO Behana, located in the central suburbs, is next on the list. Here’s how their man Dinesh answers my query, “We are flooded with calls and it is impossible to come before next week.” He abruptly ends the conversation.
11.50 am: Finally, I call up Karuna. My complaint is noted. I am also told that the dog will be treated as quickly as possible. I’m given a complaint number (5149). Then, I wait…
3.00 pm: Welfare of Stray Dogs calls me up to check if the dog has been treated by Karuna. They also give me the number of another NGO, Plants and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS).
6 pm: I get a call from Sinesh Subraminyam from PAWS. He informs me that he is coming with an ambulance to help the animal.
7 pm: Sinesh calls again. “Our ambulance is in Borivali, so we will be coming tomorrow morning,” he says.
September 17 2:30 pm: I call up PAWS yet again and I’m informed that the ambulance has broken down; help will arrive only by Sunday morning.
Another case…
Dr Zeenat Babul saw a dog hurt in a hit-and-run accident. “I called up Karuna’s helpline,” she said. They sent an ambulance only after three hours, from Ahimsa. Dr Zeenat insisted that the dog be hospitalised.
She followed the ambulance to the hospital, where the dog was refused admission because they were full-up. Dr Zeenat had to leave but called later to follow-up. “I was informed that the dog had been taken and left where he’d been found,” she said. When she went there, she was unable to find the dog.