Strays unwanted

The number of stray dogs within the Sri Jayawardenapura University had got out of hand and in order to deal with the issue, the university authorities on April 8 and 9, contracted the company “Ultra Kill” to either kill or dump the 30 dogs which roamed the university at a different location. This measure taken by the University to control the dog menace raised many a protest among the general public and animal welfare activists even resorted to a vigil in support of the dogs. 

The university however, is not alone in taking measures into its own hands and the lack of action taken by the authorities to deal with the stray dog population in the country has led to many resorting to such action.

The task of dealing with the dog menace comes under the purview of the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government, Faiszer Mustapha and in early 2016 he put forward a Cabinet paper with a plan to curb the crisis caused by stray dogs. He had also proposed that the anti-rabies vaccination programme and the sterilization programme be amalgamated. The implementation of this proposal however has seen several hurdles.

Initiatives taken to lessen the menace

In March this year, Minister Mustapha proposed that if a registered dog (a dog with an owner) was found to be straying, the owner was liable to a fine of up to Rs 25,000 and two years imprisonment. Cabinet approved this proposal and agreed to amend the Registration of Dogs Ordinance No 51 of 1901 to implement the proposal.

N. Madhusanka from Dehiwala meanwhile claimed that the proposed amendment to the Dog Registration Ordinance would lead to mass killing of dogs as people would resort to kill dogs in order to avoid paying fines.

Despite such worries, activists say that the Dog Registration Act needs to be amended.

“The Dog Registration Act has to be amended and we have also proposed to establish Dog shelters to deal with the dogs that are a menace to the public. The Minister has also agreed to provide a land for such a place but we are yet to receive Cabinet approval for that,” said Kandy Association for community Protection through Animal Welfare (KACPAW) Secretary Champa Fernando, who is a member of the Advisory Committee appointed by Minister Mustapha to provide a long term solution to manage the stray dogs menace.

Animal welfare organizations have shown keen interest in the stray dog issue and many over the years have worked closely with the government to introduce an extensive programme for vaccination and sterilization.

The organizations have stressed throughout that the solution to the problem lay in an effective sterilization programme while finding shelters for ‘problematic’ dogs. These programmes though accepted by the government, have seen very little success when it comes to implementation and this issue becomes even more complicated when multiple departments and ministries get involved in the implementation process.

One such case was when a Cabinet decision was taken in 2016 to have the Rabies Eradication and Dog Sterilization programme handled by the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH) from 2017 onwards under one health concept.

Fernando however, alleged that these twin programmes were still being handled by the Ministry of Health and was not handed over to the DAPH to carry out the work.

“The Dog   Registration  Act has to be  amended and  we have also   proposed to  establish Dog   shelters to  deal with the   dogs that are  a menace to   the public. The  Minister has   also agreed to  provide a  land for such  a place but   we are yet to  receive   Cabinet  approval   for that”

“All zoonotic diseases are handled by DAPH but rabies even though it is a zoonotic disease, is handled by the Health ministry. The Ministry’s Public Health and Veterinary Services Unit is handling the eradication of rabies and human vaccination,” she said.

Acting Director, Public Health and Veterinary Services Unit, Dr Ruwini Pimburage responded that discussions were still taking place on the handover of both the Rabies Eradication and Dog Sterilization programmes to the DAPH.

She explained that the handover was complicated as the Dog Sterilization Programme was done with the assistance of district and regional health officials, local government health officials along with regional epidemiology unit officials.

Rabies statistics

Dr Pimburage in the meantime, saw irresponsible pet ownership as the main cause for the rise in Rabies. While there are concerns over the rise in dog population which may be adding to an increase in cases of rabies, Colombo National Hospital Deputy Director Dr. Cyril de Silva said he could not confirm that Rabies was on the rise and said that he had to go through the data to comment on it.

“The patients who come to hospital are not only as a result of dog bites. Rabies cases are reported for cats, squirrels and other animal bites as well,” he said.

A senior official of the Health Ministry who wished to remain anonymous said that around 30,000 people were treated for rabies at the National Hospital alone last year.

“The government is spending a huge amount of money to treat the victims. But, comparatively very fewer measures are being taken to prevent it,” he said.

According to the health ministry data, seven deaths have been reported in the last four months while there were 20 deaths from rabies last year.

He further said that Gampaha and Galle districts have recorded the highest number of rabies cases.

The official meanwhile, said that reports of dog bites have risen to a record level of nearly 1,200 every day and added that among the rabies cases that are reported, 90 percent are as a result of dog bites.

He emphasized that as very fewer measures are taken by the relevant authorities to deal with the dog menace, sometimes people are forced to deal with it on their own. The consequences might lead to greater confusion similar to what happened at the Jayawardenepura University.

“People cannot fully blame the Vice Chancellor, there would have been problems. There are many incidents where some people kill the dogs but they are not revealed to the outer world. The relevant authorities should take the whole issue in their hands to curb the crisis,” he said.

Despite several attempts made by the Daily News to contact Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Mustapha, he was not available for a comment.

Yet, the Minister on several occasions previously had assured that the intention of the amendment is to stop people from dumping animals in public places and to make them more concerned about animals.

Fewer initiatives – Matters taken into their own hands

As the sterilization programme struggles to have an impact on the dog population, the disappearance of dogs from the Sri Jayawardenapura University premises has taken the dog issue to a different level, said Fernando.

Vice Chancellor of the Sri Jayawardenapura University was recently blamed for killing/ dumping the dogs with the help of a contracted company called “Ultra Kill”.

“If the dogs are a real issue there are measures to deal with that, killing them is not the right decision. But, the Vice chancellor had said that he wanted the dogs to be removed not killed. Ultra kill is registered under the banner Pesticides and they are not for sterilization of dogs,” she explained.

She further stressed that a survey needs to be done to check on the amount of the dogs in that area.

The Vice Chancellor of the University was not available for comment despite several attempts made by the Daily News to contact him.

What needs to be done?

Fernando said that the Health Ministry in 2008, initiated the National Dog sterilization programme using the model that KACPAW provided.

“Since 2008, more than one million dogs have been sterilized free of charge through the Health Ministry. It has helped to reduce the dog population as well as the cost of dog rabies and human rabies vaccinations”, she explained.

She urged the authorities to engage veterinarians using the DAPH’s organizational structure that would spread across the country.

Fernando noted that there are 328 DAPH Veterinary surgeons divisions in each of the nine provinces, covering the 25 districts.

She said that if the programme was not taken island wide, it would be impossible to see a long term solution to the problem.

“It would be very easy for the pet owners across the country to get their dogs sterilized and vaccinated in their own home area, once the necessary manpower and resources are given to all 328 Veterinary surgeons divisions,” she said.

Fernando however said that setting up of island wide DAPH Public Health Veterinary Units is not going to be an easy task.

“As it is going to be a hard task that would take few years to fully establish them, we urge the Health Ministry to continue dog sterilizations through their MOH offices. And DAPH Public Health Veterinary Units will function around the country to prevent and eradicate rabies while providing dogs as well as human rabies vaccinations,” she said.

Fernando warned that even a temporary stopping of the sterilization programme could result in the dog population growing again.

She said that the Wayamba veterinary surgeons in the South submitted proposals for a pilot project in their area but they were not given money to commence the project.

“The Health Ministry is stopping this for some reason. They don’t realize the need for more veterinary surgeons. Rabies eradication and dog sterilization has to go hand in hand,” she added.

Dr. Pimburage in the meantime insisted that there are enough veterinary doctors in Sri Lanka and they were able to carry out the programme without any issues.

Preventing Rabies

She noted that their main focus was on preventing Rabies.

“If the dogs are a problem to the public, they should inform the Municipal Councils or the Pradeshiya Sabhas. They have the authority to deal with that. The Health Ministry’s responsibility is to sterilize dogs, vaccinate people and deal with dog bite victims,” she said.

She alleged that People easily leave puppies on the roads failing to realize the consequences of it.

“They should make sure that they are well taken care of. Sterilization has to be done properly to the dogs. The public are also very careless about dealing with these problems,” she said.

Fernando meanwhile, said that their only hope is the drafted proposal to tackle the issue that has become an issue in urban as well as suburban areas in the country.

Kelum Dharmaratne a three wheel driver from Borella said dogs were a “never ending issue” in the area.

“We sometimes do not know whom to inform. Many residents have asked me whether I can help them to take these dogs and put them in a different area. I think this is a growing issue. Borella is a very congested and busy place. It is not easy for dogs to roam around and with their increase in number, it’s a real menace to people,” he said.

At present it all lies in the hands of Minister Faiszer Mustapha who is yet to present the proposal on dealing with the stray dog population to Cabinet. It is expected that it would happen within the next two weeks.

 

Animal Welfare organizations state that the proposal had been formulated by the Ministry with the support of Animal Welfare organizations to bring the issue under control but things are at a standstill with the Ministry not willing to dig its teeth into the matter.