14 dogs rescued from illegal breeders in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Fourteen dogs were recently rescued from a breeder’s compound in Kannuru, northern Bengaluru, ending a year-long case of illegal dog breeding.

On Monday, a group of about 11 people from the neighbourhood, accompanied by two police officers, entered a gated compound in Kanakasree Housing Society, adjoining the Bhartiya City Nikoo Homes apartment complex off Thanisandra Main Road, to find several dogs in a condition one of the rescuers described was “pathetic”. 

Videos and images from the rescue showed sluggish, emaciated dogs inside cages, lapping away at food and water placed before them. 

Animal rescuer Hima Prasad said that the group gained entry into the area after the officers attached with the Bagalur police station broke open the lock of the gated compound.

“The situation was horrible; it was very smelly and in such poor condition,” Hima told DH.

She added that residents of apartments nearby had witnessed this situation a year ago and had since tried to get animal shelters or NGOs to intervene.

“But there is no space in shelters and NGOs to accommodate and care for so many poorly-treated animals. Tt is a real problem.”

The owners of the breeding centre were identified as Karthik and Rajan, both of whom were initially not on the premises but showed up later and reportedly tried to defend their actions, said Hima.

The group was joined by Harish K B, anti-animal cruelty officer at People for Animals, who described the animals as “extremely malnourished, with severe skin infections and other health conditions”.

The dogs were initially taken to veterinarian Dr Akshay Prakash’s shelter before they were shifted to a shelter in Kengeri, he said. 

“No FIRs are filed in such cases because the police aren’t keen on doing so. If a case is filed, animals become court property and cannot be put up for adoption until the case is resolved so they have to stay in the shelter for as long as the case proceeds,” said Hima.

They have, however, submitted a written complaint to the police. 

“We are still finalising the rules for issuing licences for breeding, pet ownership, and trade before it can be submitted to the government for approval. After that is approved, we will conduct raids at illegal breeding centres. Until then, unfortunately, there is not much we can do about such backyard breeding,” said an official from the BBMP Animal Husbandry Department.

Hima Prasad 
Animal rescuer

“No FIRs are filed in such cases. If a case is filed animals become court property and cannot be put up for adoption until the case is resolved so they have to stay in the shelter for as long as the case proceeds.