Civic body scraps dog shelter plan

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Civic-body-scraps-dog-shelter-plan/articleshow/17136789.cms

PUNE: The civic standing committee on Tuesday scrapped the proposal to build a shelter for stray dogs in the city. The committee had approved the proposal last week despite the civic administration's opposition. 

Committee chairman Baburao Chandere told reporters on Tuesday, "We reconsidered the proposal and decided that building a dog shelter is unfeasible and against the law." 

The proposal to build a dog shelter to accommodate over 40,000 dogs was tabled by NCP corporators Kishor Vitkar and Sunil Gogale. Last week the standing committee had asked the administration to make a feasibility report for the project. Opposing the proposal, the administration said that maintenance each dog would require Rs 18,000- 25,000 every year. The administration also said that, as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960, keeping stray dogs together is banned. 

"We had approved the proposal, considering the feelings of corporators. However, we came to the conclusion that the administration was correct," Chandere said. 

On an average, 1,150 dog-bite cases per month were registered since January 2012. In 2011, around 1,000 cases were reported each month. 

"Dog shelter is not an option to reduce dog-bite cases. Instead we have asked the health department to enhance the process the sterilize dogs," Chandere said.