Activists write to CM Siddaramaiah over alleged misuse of ABC centres for dog housing in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Animal welfare activists have written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the alleged misuse of Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres in the city.

The December 8 letter from Citizens for Animal Birth Control was also sent to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and Tushar Giri Nath, Additional Chief Secretary of Urban Development Department (UDD).

The letter stated that nearly 200 street dogs were being kept in six ABC centres for up to four months by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

"The Supreme Court order clearly stated that the dogs should be picked up only once the shelters are ready. Instead, they have picked up about 184 street dogs and kept them at the ABC centres. As a result, the ABC programme, which is already weak, is impacted," Harini Raghavan, cofounder of Citizens for Animal Birth Control, told DH.

The letter stated, "As per ABC rules (Rule 2 (1)(d)), ABC partners are not shelters and are here only to carry out the ABC surgeries/rabies vaccination. Hence, they cannot hold any dogs outside what is defined in the ABC rules."

Nandita Subba Rao, cofounder, said resources and staff for ABC were being diverted to other initiatives such as feeding programme recce, street plays, rescues, and Kukur Tihar celebrations.

"All these are outside the ambit of the ABC rules of 2023, and hence, the ABC programme has been operating at sub-optimal levels. Street dog population is increasing as a result," she said.

Activists shared instances of dogs being picked up unlawfully.

"ABC is the only humane method of controlling animal population, which will eventually reduce the so-called man-animal conflict. There are many countries worldwide that have done this successfully. Within India, Goa has successfully carried out ABC. Karnataka, too, needs to focus on it as a priority," said Manjari Chaitanya, founder of South Bangalore Cares.

'Only following SC order'

GBA Special Commissioner Vikas Suralkar Kishor said, "We are only following the Supreme Court order. Some of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres, where there are community kennels and observation centres, we are keeping the dogs there for the time being. These dogs were brought in only from areas where there have been complaints about bites and conflict. The shelters are still in progress."

He urged activists to write to the Supreme Court if they disagree with the GBA's interpretation of the court order.