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Animal rights activists balk at Ministry’s stray dog plan
View(s):Animal rights activists are opposing a Local Government Ministry proposal to remove stray dogs and place them in animal shelters.
Sathwa Mithuro president Sagarika Rajakarunanayake said a state-run dog shelter would not be the right answer to the problem.
She said inadequate funds to run such shelters could result in animals being not properly fed and disease being spread among them.
She said animal rights activists met Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha this week to explain that the current rabies control programme — catching, neutering and releasing the dogs — was effective and humane and should not be changed. Even the World Health Organisation had endorsed this method as the best way to deal with community dogs.
However the minister told the activists that he had no issues with stray dogs on roads but they should not be near schools, markets and hospitals as they posed a threat to the public.
He said that he too was an animal lover and would oppose the killing of animals. The minister said he was seeking the views of veterinary surgeons, animal rights activists, health officials and the general public to find a solution acceptable to all.
He said he had been been asked to prepare a plan within two weeks and forward it to the Cabinet.