Pune: Aundh Residents, PMC Officials Clash Over Capture Of Community Dog - VIDEO

Pune: A heated altercation took place between employees of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and residents of Aundh due to a dog on Wednesday. A team of PMC came to pick up a dog, as there was a complaint against it regarding biting residents in the area. However, residents and volunteers of Pure Animal Lovers (PAL) tried to make them understand that the dog they were actually picking up was different. At this time, a verbal altercation took place.

According to available details, on Wednesday, PMC received a complaint about a ‘dangerous dog' which had terrorised the area by biting citizens. They came to take the dog to their Animal Birth Control (ABC). Local residents observed this, and they alleged that the dog they are taking with them is a community dog, and they feed it daily.  

‘The Bite Incident Happened Two Months Ago'

Roshan Pathak, Animal Rights Advisor at PAL Foundation, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, “The incident of dog bite happened two months ago, and this dog was not involved. We tried to make the PMC officials understand, but they were not ready to listen. The dog in question is sterilised and vaccinated, and according to ABC rules and Supreme Court Judgement 2025, no one can pick any sterilised and vaccinated dog from their original place and relocate it. It is animal cruelty.”

Pathak further explained that the PMC employees didn't take this nicely and started arguing with residents who were reportedly very patient. “They tried to intimidate and also tried to attack one of the feeders of the dog. They were behaving rudely with women. They were trying to explain that this was not the dog that had bitten, but the other one.”

Pathak said that PMC's dog squad's dog catcher, by the name of Vishal Kamble, was particularly aggressive with the residents. Also, his immediate supervisor, Vijay Ovhal, who is the coordinator of PMC’s dog-catching squad, didn't hold him back and was rude too. In the end, they picked up the dog and went away.

‘We Are Following Senior Officials’ Order'

A video of this altercation was shot, which has gone viral on social media. In this, the dog catcher is seen arguing with the residents. The residents are trying to calmly explain the situation to him, but in the video, he seems stubbornly trying to take the dog away and not listen to the residents. Residents even tried to put logic and explain the rules to him, but he didn't listen and took the dog away.

In the video, it can be seen that he told the residents, “What rules are you showing me? Don't tell me about the rules and all. We are here to take the dog away. I'm not here from my own mind. It's the official orders we are following. Let us do our work.”

‘If This Has Happened, It's Wrong’

PMC's Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Sarika Funde, told The FPJ, “We don't know about this situation. But if a thing like this has happened, it's wrong. We will see what exactly has happened and will tell our dog catchers to be calm and patient in these situations. We will warn them that things like these shouldn't happen.”

Dr Funde further explained that these situations are common, and many times dog lovers have emotions tied to a community dog. “Our dog-catching team listens to the complainant, and according to them, the dog is identified and captured. Upon capturing, we bring them to our ABC centres and observe the dog for 10 days. In 10 days, if the dog shows any sign of aggressiveness, we treat it. If it doesn't show, we take him back to the original place.”