India Joins Rank of Cruel China: Orders Massive Dog Cull

Though by numbers this cull pales in comparison to China’s cruel and unnecessary continuing dog cull – read about China’s dog cull here –
http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/08/
cruel-china-plans-another-large-dog.html - the numbers don’t matter. One dog matters and the means of these actions are inexcusable. The descriptions in the writing below are graphic enough to give you an idea of what really is taking place. Essentially, dogs are literally grabbed from wherever they are seen and taken to cages by any means. Of course, the politicians are no different there, and they attempt to sugar coat the situation. In this case they mention the presence of veterinarians. Is it not possible to have a sadistic veterinarian? Of course.

Article:

200 dogs killed in India campaign

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070313/
ap_on_re_as/india_dogs_1

By GAVIN RABINOWITZ, Associated Press Writer Tue Mar 13, 12:12 PM ET

NEW DELHI - Authorities in the southern city of Bangalore have killed more than 200 strays in a bid to rid the city of dangerous packs of dogs, officials said Tuesday.
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The killings of the animals in India's high-tech hub have sparked protests and allegations of animal cruelty.

Officials launched a drive to round up strays last week after a young child was mauled to death by a pack of street dogs, the second such deadly incident in three months, Municipal Commissioner K. Jairaj told The Associated Press.

More than 1,300 dogs were captured in five days and more than 200 that were identified by veterinarians as diseased, rabid or aggressive were euthanized, Jairaj said.

The drive, however, has been suspended until more animal shelters can be built.

Animal activists also have protested, saying dogs were being indiscriminately killed and cruelly treated.

Millions of strays live on the streets of India. Some, particularly in areas near garbage dumps or butcher shops, form dangerous feral packs that have attacked people. Rabies is also rampant.

Animal activists, who claim to support the plan in principle, say it has gone horribly wrong, as overzealous laborers failed to differentiate between dangerous dogs and "community pets" — somewhat tame animals that are cared for by residents. These dogs, activists say, help keep wild dogs away from the neighborhood.

"The commissioner has given orders that only sick, ferocious and dangerous dogs should be taken, but on the ground level, even innocent dogs were picked up," said Sanober Bharucha of Compassion Unlimited Plus Action, which runs one of Bangalore's largest animal shelters.

The shelter is already full of strays rounded up by authorities and has had to suspend its regular operations, which include sterilizing and vaccinating city dogs, while they deal with the newcomers, she said.

They have also had to turn away hundreds more dogs because they do not have the space. "It is absolutely tragic," she said.

Jairaj said the drive was suspended until three new shelters were built.

Bangalore residents allege that the wrong animals were captured and abused.

"I saw one white dog being dragged on the ground by a chord around her neck while one of the catchers beat her with a plank that had nails embedded in it," said Jeremy D'souza, 42, who took part in a protest Monday night along with about 500 other people.

"When I tried to get them to stop, they said, 'Why do you care how it's being treated? It's going to be killed anyway,'" said D'souza, adding that the dogs caught in his neighborhood had clipped ears — a common sign used by animal groups to show they have been vaccinated and sterilized.

Pictures taken by D'souza showed one dog being hauled into a cage on a truck upside-down by a wire cord around its hind legs.

Jairaj denied animals were mistreated and said all dog-catching teams were accompanied by veterinarians. However, he said some dogs may have been left in vans overnight once the shelters overflowed.

"People should look at this in some perspective. Public safety is first and foremost, that is the issue here," he said.