MP Dog Bites: ABC Centres Are Illegal Pet Lovers; Nope, Says BMC

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Pet lovers and Bhopal Municipal Corporation are at loggerheads over legitimacy of Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres functioning at Kajlikheda, Arwalia and Adampur in the city. Animal Welfare Board of India, which works under union ministry of health and family welfare has granted approval to run three centres.

However, Swati Gaurav from People for Animals Care (NGO) said, “Navodaya Animal Care Plus has been blacklisted. BMC runs ABC centres through this NGO, which has been blacklisted. All the three ABC centres are illegal.

Despite this, BMC is keeping dogs at there.” BMC’s veterinarian Dr SK Shrivastava said, “Three ABC centres are run by NGOs - Navodaya Vet Society, The Animal Care and Society and Animal Care Foundation. We have to sterilise minimum 20 dogs per day per centre and after sterilisation, these dogs are kept for five to six days in ABCs centres.

Thus 60 animals are sterilised. Three centres have 300 dogs.” Leader of Opposition Shabista Zaki said, “BMC has sanctioned Rs 2.6 crore for dog control programme through ABC centres. As dog bite cases are on the rise, onus is on BMC to check ABC centres’ legality as BMC spends money.”