Hundreds of animal lovers on Wednesday afternoon gathered to protest against the Dhaka South City Corporation’s (DSCC) move to relocate the stray dogs of Dhaka streets to other districts.
Members of Obhoyaronno-Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation, People for Animal Welfare (PAW) Foundation, Stella Animal Welfare Foundation, Care for Paws (CFP), We are Nature and Animal Lovers, along with volunteers and university students formed a human chain in front of the capital’s Nagar Bhaban demanding an immediate stop to the illegal relocation of Dhaka stray dogs.
They suggested that the DSCC authorities should opt for vaccination to protect people from rabies and sterilization to control the dog population instead of relocation.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, Rubaiya Ahmad, chairman of Obhoyaronno-Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation, said: “The DSCC has already relocated a total of 15 dogs, which were vaccinated last year, to the Matuail waste disposal site.
“They are planning to move as many as 30,000 dogs from areas under the DSCC which is completely illegal.”
"The High Court has ordered not to kill dogs. But this doesn’t mean that relocating the dogs is legal.
“According to the Animal Welfare Act 2019, both killing and relocating dogs is illegal," she added.
"The city corporation can not violate the law. We have sent several letters to the mayor regarding the matter. We will send him [DSCC Mayor Taposh] another letter to stop this initiative.
Rubaiya Ahmad, chairman of Obhoyaronno-Bangladesh Animal Welfare Foundation, addresses a human chain in front of DSCC Nagar Bhaban on Wednesday, September 2, 2020, protesting the recent decision to relocate stary dogs to other districts | Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
"Vaccination and sterilization are the solutions here. Relocating the stray dogs doesn’t ensure that the streets will remain empty. Because dogs from other areas will come and take over that empty space. The new dogs will bark more," she added.
Echoing the same, Nona Ahmed, chairman of Stella Animal Welfare Foundation said: “In the waste disposal site, where the dogs are being taken, there is no food.
Animal lovers, with banners, festoons, placards and posters, demand immediate stop to the illegal relocation of Dhaka stray dogs on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 | Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune“The dogs will starve to death.”
“The stray dogs were vaccinated last year with financial support from the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The money spent in that program will just go to waste if DSCC decides to relocate the dogs,” she added.
Faiza Fairooz, a member of the PAW Foundation, said: "Stray dogs are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.
“Thus, the ministry should protest this move by DSCC. Humans and animals should live alongside, and together on earth."
Masekur Rahaman Bappy, founder of We are Nature and Animal Lovers said: "Stray dogs keep our city clean. They stay alive by eating our garbage on the streets. They help to keep the environment clean.
"Mayor Taposh’s decision to relocate the dogs is illegal according to the law."
