Animal lovers launch helpline for dog bite victims, stray dogs

A Group of animal lovers in the city have launched a round-the-clock
helpline service that will cater to both the stray dogs in distress and
the victims of dog bite. Volunteers at the helpline service, named
Navkar, can be contacted at 26581924/5.

A meeting in this regard was held at Gujarat Vidyapith on Sunday under
the aegis of People for Animals, a voluntary body run by Mahendra
Shrimali. The meeting took a serious view of the Ahmedabad Municipal
Corporation (AMC) not following the Dog Rules, 2001.

Shrimali said the "well-attended" meeting expressed concern over reports
that the AMC was indulging in sterilizing dogs, which were already
sterilised. He said this was brought to the notice of the local police.

He further claimed that nearly half of the sterilised dogs died due to
infections after the operations. As such, there is a stay on the
sterilization programme due to differences between the AMC and the
sterilisation agency.

Interestingly, not a single AMC official attended the meeting despite
being invited to the same.

One more helpline is in the pipeline by one Samir Shah who plans to name
it Bhagwan Mahavir Helpline, the number of which is yet to be finalised.
A volunteer force is also being brought up area wise, which will be
capable of reaching the trouble spot within half an hour, Shrimali said.


URL:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/animal-lovers-launch-helpline-for-dog-
bite-victims-stray-dogs/488432/
<http://www.indianexpress.com/news/animal-lovers-launch-helpline-for-dog
-bite-victims-stray-dogs/488432/>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]