Mumbai: A family in Kandivali has offered a reward of Rs 10,000 to find a two-year-old community dog that went missing two days after it was taken to a dog pound in Malad for sterilisation by municipal workers.
'Whitey' Picked Up for Sterilisation on Feb 2
Whitey, who lived in the BEST employees' quarters in Kandivali (East), had been vaccinated for rabies but was not previously sterilised because his blood reports were not normal. Whitey was picked up by municipal workers on 2 February and taken to the dog pound and sterilisation centre run by Ahimsa in Kanchpada, Malad (West). He was not sterilised due to his health condition and was scheduled to be returned to his home on 4 February.
Whitey's carers suspect that he was abandoned at an unfamiliar location by municipal workers. Sarika Ohol, a resident of the area who has cared for Whitey since he was a puppy, said she was told by workers that Whitey was dropped near Mahananda Dairy, Jogeshwari, which is far from his original home.
Highway Threat and Territorial Dogs
Ohol, who is deeply concerned about Whitey's safety, has been searching the area near Mahananda Dairy with her family. “The place where he was dropped is close to a busy highway and there are large, territorial dogs in the area,” said Ohol. She added that when the van arrived to pick up Whitey on 2 February, the family told officials they would bring him for sterilisation themselves. “But the official did not listen, and today we are in this situation.”
Animal rights activists who visited Ahimsa said they were told by the centre's manager, Pravin Tambe, that the dog was "mistakenly" dropped at Mahananda Dairy. Tambe told The Free Press Journal that he has been managing the centre for 40 years. “Municipal workers bring the animals for sterilisation and vaccination. We perform the procedures if the blood report is healthy. We either keep the dog for treatment or ask the municipal workers to return it to the exact spot from where it was picked up. This kind of mistake does not normally happen,” said Tambe.
BMC Vows to Investigate 'Human Error'
Dr Kalimpasha Pathan, General Manager of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) veterinary department, stated that it is the responsibility of both the sterilisation centre and municipal workers to ensure that stray animals are returned to the same spot. “We handle many cases, and human error is possible. We will look into this case,” said Pasha.
Kshitij, Ohol's son, has written to the BMC demanding a formal admission of the error, the GPS coordinates and time of Whitey's release, a search operation, and punitive action against the staff responsible for the illegal relocation. The Ohol family stated that if Whitey is not located, they will file a First Information Report (FIR) under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and seek assistance from the Animal Welfare Board of India.
Activists Slam 'Punishable Offence'
Animal rights activists noted that the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, mandate that every dog must be released back to the exact territory from which it was captured. Roshan Pathak, an activist, stated that dropping a dog in a completely different ward (from Kandivali to Jogeshwari) is not a "mistake" but a punishable offence that puts the animal’s life at grave risk due to starvation and territorial fights.
“Numerous incidents involving the BMC and NGOs operating under BMC contracts for sterilisation have occurred in the past. ABC regulations are clear. In this instance, Ahimsa and the BMC are accusing one another for their careless treatment of animals. Contracts with NGOs that fail to provide adequate care should be terminated immediately, and they should face severe consequences,” said Pathak.
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