Monday, July 2, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
ANIMAL WELFARE IN ISLAM
Not too long ago, I had the privilege of talking to an eminent Islamic scholar, who wishes to remain unnamed. Our conversation covered a wide range of topics. The one closest to his heart, however, was the treatment of animalkind according to the tenets of Islam.“Islam was one of the earliest faiths to care about the rights of animals,” he waxed eloquent. ‘In general, kindness to animals has been promised by reward in the life hereafter’. We find this sentiment in line 178....................................."
Sunday, June 24, 2007
WHY ANIMAL RIGHTS
Many of you grew up eating meat and chicken, wearing leather and fur, and going to circuses and zoos. Many of you have kept beautiful birds in cages. Many of you wear silk, go have a chicken burger and fished. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. Why? Because many don’t think that animals also have rights.
Why this question asked:
Why should animals have rights?The first and foremost thing that every human being should understand is that they don’t own this earth. He made the earth in his own way by buildings and roads for his use but that doesn’t mean that the land they build upon is theirs. What about the animals living over there?
This earth belongs to everyone which includes all animals.Like humans, animals also have a right to live. Because, they are the same as us, just with a lower brain capacity than humans; preventing them from rational thinking and ruling this earth!!! But they have a complete sensory nervous system allowing them to be aware and communicative. They feel pain, pleasure, fear, frustration, loneliness, and motherly love. Should the more intelligent humans have rights and the less intelligent humans be denied rights? If that is not so, then why are animals denied their rights?
Animals have certain rights. For instance, a dog most certainly would not like having pain inflicted on him unnecessarily. We are, therefore, obliged to take that interest into consideration and to respect the dog’s right not to have pain unnecessarily inflicted upon him.Jeremy Bentham, the founder of the reforming utilitarian school of moral philosophy, stated that when deciding on a being’s rights, “The question is not ‘Can they reason?’ nor ‘Can they talk?’ but ‘Can they suffer?’ ”.
Animals surely deserve to live their lives free from suffering and exploitation."Animals are God's creatures, not human property, nor utilities, nor resources, nor commodities, but precious beings in God's sight." -Rev. Dr Andrew Linzey 1952What we are taught by parents and teachers is to be good citizens, nice, kind, helpful to others. Well, now the famous quote goes as follows:"
As long as Man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love."Only after understanding that animals too have rights to live their lives free from suffering and pain done by humans, then only we can understand the pain given to animals and join hands to stop this merciless torture.
TRUTH ABOUT BANGLORE INCIDENT
The truth abt the bangalore massacre..hey guys a lot of ppl dnt know abt the truth what happened in bangalore be4 the dogs were killed and y.its goes this way.. the small gal was playing with the pups..the pups mother cums and starts growling as to protect her pups. the gal get frightened may be and runs with one of the pups in her hand...the mother dogs barks and chases the gal to get her pup..ppl think the dog is biting the gal and start stoning the dog..many huge stones are thrown at the dog.. by misatke one or 2 two stones hit the gal too.. on the head.. thus the gal dies of brain heamorrage.. thats what is also there in the post mortem report.. the ppl suppress this truth..ministers too may be helping to supress.. y ??? god knws may be 4 the vote bank..this is not a made up story.. its the story of the same gal who was said to be killed in bangalore
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
AN ANIMAL LOVER SHALINI SAID
I think the primary thing we forget in our paranoia is that we HAVE been killing dogs for decades, and it has been all in vain! I visited BEML layout the day after the terrible incident took place, because I wanted to see the situation for myself this time instead of being led by one-sided media reports, and before the corporation stepped in to kill all the dogs there. We also tried to document on film as much as we could, but we have not looked at it to compile it yet. The situation there was indeed terrible, the entire area is nothing but a dumping ground! On all sides of the residential area, just a few feet away from the apartments are vast stretches of garbage and meat scraps. All the neighboruing areas apparently dumb their garbage there, which was veyr believable. The residential area is a short distance away from what seemed to be the marketplace centre of the layout - where there are a couple of meat shops as well as many shops and the medical centre. The dogs around the shops were the first we encountered, and they seemed very fearful but docile. We spoke to a some slum dwellers, who live a stone's throw away from the market - they take care of one (again, fearful) dog. They said that the dog wouldn't bite anyone, but those near the residential area had gone 'bad'. Even if they stepped into that area, they'd get bitten. The state of the other people in the market area was just too sad. We saw a little boy standing with an old construction worker, with a sort of whip (long stick with a rope attached) - both whipping any dog they saw, and all those who were just peacefully lying around. This seemed to be a form of amusement - both would laugh when the dog jumped up and ran away in pain. We spoke to them, the boy shyly grinned and said he hit them for no reason, and only grinned further at any sort of 'how would you feel if I did that to you?' The old man at first denied hitting a dog, but later said the owner of the shop had asked them to do it. When we attempted to speak to the owner, he pretended he knew neither english nor hindi nor kannada! When human beings constantly hurt dogs, isn't it only natural for them to grow scared and attack? At the residential area, we spoke to a few lady residents, who were understandably very upset and scared. They told us there had been another incident almost as bad just a little while back, where the young child fortunately survived. They had complained to BEML and to BMP, but to no avail. We also spoke to someone at the medical centre, who told us that there hadn't been too many bite cases, and when there were it was mostly adults coming in for a scratch or something. These two severe cases were an exception. There had also never been a case of rabies in the area. One of the women sent her son to show us around. He took us to an exansive overgrown garbage dumping field right opposite the apartments, where he said Manjunath had been hiding behind a bush while playing hide and seek. My heart sank when I saw the area. There are bushes everywhere, and a man standing there gave us a perhaps exaggerated figure of 80-100 dogs that must live in that expanse. There is no way even a small proportion of those dogs could be caught for any purpose unless the field is cleared entirely, and that would be a HUGE task! Stationed around the field were men hired to beat up viciously any stray dog they spotted. They had been set to the task a month ago, and after the recent incident, even more young boys had voluntarily joined. We saw and hopefully got on film one of these beatings, and it was terrible! This was a perhaps 3 or 4 month old PUPPY - and the men would not let it escape, they chased it beating it until it managed to escape somehow. I couldn't bear looking at it, and the SADDEST thing was the reaction of the young boy with us! I would not have let ANY child see such an act of violence and cruelty, but this boy was completely insensitive, and seemed quite amused with everything. After that, we despondently moved back to the car, while the boy told us stories about how you could open manjunath's head like a cap (!), and how if you put any water into his mouth it would come out through the holes in his throat. It seems a terrible terrible cycle! It was so clear to us and many of the residents also seemed to understand that besides being an impossible task, even if you did kill all the dogs there, dogs from surrounding areas would move in to feed on the garbage, within NO time. reproduction betweeen them would be unrestricted, survival rates would be very good because of all the food and shelter, and because there would be no established territory for them, fights would increase! Meanwhile, people grow scared of the dogs, treat them inhumanely, and instill in the dogs a fear and viciousness towards human beings! It becomes a war where it is the dogs versus people. Why need it be that way? Dogs are not naturally vicious, no animal attacks for no reason, and human beings are not what dogs consider food! It is this atmosphere of hostility that seems to cause most problems. And I've been hearing so much of 'in the US this doens't happen, why do we allow it to happen?'. This sort of argument is unbelievable- conditions are completely completely different in developed countries! They have no open garbage dump sites, there is no way we can have a stray dog free bangalore with all the garbage lying around - it is utterly impossible! What we must do is find better systems of garbage management, CONTROL the numbers of stray dogs by sterilization, control rabies by vaccination, and remove this hostile fear from both dogs and people by educating people to treat dogs better. I am glad commissioner Jairaj and the BMP are simply intensifying the sterilization drive, and isolating ferocious dogs for observation, and NOT killing mercilessly all the lovely, affectionate dogs of the city. I do hope no killing takes place, because it is clear to me that it will only worsen the situation!
I think the primary thing we forget in our paranoia is that we HAVE been killing dogs for decades, and it has been all in vain! I visited BEML layout the day after the terrible incident took place, because I wanted to see the situation for myself this time instead of being led by one-sided media reports, and before the corporation stepped in to kill all the dogs there. We also tried to document on film as much as we could, but we have not looked at it to compile it yet. The situation there was indeed terrible, the entire area is nothing but a dumping ground! On all sides of the residential area, just a few feet away from the apartments are vast stretches of garbage and meat scraps. All the neighboruing areas apparently dumb their garbage there, which was veyr believable. The residential area is a short distance away from what seemed to be the marketplace centre of the layout - where there are a couple of meat shops as well as many shops and the medical centre. The dogs around the shops were the first we encountered, and they seemed very fearful but docile. We spoke to a some slum dwellers, who live a stone's throw away from the market - they take care of one (again, fearful) dog. They said that the dog wouldn't bite anyone, but those near the residential area had gone 'bad'. Even if they stepped into that area, they'd get bitten. The state of the other people in the market area was just too sad. We saw a little boy standing with an old construction worker, with a sort of whip (long stick with a rope attached) - both whipping any dog they saw, and all those who were just peacefully lying around. This seemed to be a form of amusement - both would laugh when the dog jumped up and ran away in pain. We spoke to them, the boy shyly grinned and said he hit them for no reason, and only grinned further at any sort of 'how would you feel if I did that to you?' The old man at first denied hitting a dog, but later said the owner of the shop had asked them to do it. When we attempted to speak to the owner, he pretended he knew neither english nor hindi nor kannada! When human beings constantly hurt dogs, isn't it only natural for them to grow scared and attack? At the residential area, we spoke to a few lady residents, who were understandably very upset and scared. They told us there had been another incident almost as bad just a little while back, where the young child fortunately survived. They had complained to BEML and to BMP, but to no avail. We also spoke to someone at the medical centre, who told us that there hadn't been too many bite cases, and when there were it was mostly adults coming in for a scratch or something. These two severe cases were an exception. There had also never been a case of rabies in the area. One of the women sent her son to show us around. He took us to an exansive overgrown garbage dumping field right opposite the apartments, where he said Manjunath had been hiding behind a bush while playing hide and seek. My heart sank when I saw the area. There are bushes everywhere, and a man standing there gave us a perhaps exaggerated figure of 80-100 dogs that must live in that expanse. There is no way even a small proportion of those dogs could be caught for any purpose unless the field is cleared entirely, and that would be a HUGE task! Stationed around the field were men hired to beat up viciously any stray dog they spotted. They had been set to the task a month ago, and after the recent incident, even more young boys had voluntarily joined. We saw and hopefully got on film one of these beatings, and it was terrible! This was a perhaps 3 or 4 month old PUPPY - and the men would not let it escape, they chased it beating it until it managed to escape somehow. I couldn't bear looking at it, and the SADDEST thing was the reaction of the young boy with us! I would not have let ANY child see such an act of violence and cruelty, but this boy was completely insensitive, and seemed quite amused with everything. After that, we despondently moved back to the car, while the boy told us stories about how you could open manjunath's head like a cap (!), and how if you put any water into his mouth it would come out through the holes in his throat. It seems a terrible terrible cycle! It was so clear to us and many of the residents also seemed to understand that besides being an impossible task, even if you did kill all the dogs there, dogs from surrounding areas would move in to feed on the garbage, within NO time. reproduction betweeen them would be unrestricted, survival rates would be very good because of all the food and shelter, and because there would be no established territory for them, fights would increase! Meanwhile, people grow scared of the dogs, treat them inhumanely, and instill in the dogs a fear and viciousness towards human beings! It becomes a war where it is the dogs versus people. Why need it be that way? Dogs are not naturally vicious, no animal attacks for no reason, and human beings are not what dogs consider food! It is this atmosphere of hostility that seems to cause most problems. And I've been hearing so much of 'in the US this doens't happen, why do we allow it to happen?'. This sort of argument is unbelievable- conditions are completely completely different in developed countries! They have no open garbage dump sites, there is no way we can have a stray dog free bangalore with all the garbage lying around - it is utterly impossible! What we must do is find better systems of garbage management, CONTROL the numbers of stray dogs by sterilization, control rabies by vaccination, and remove this hostile fear from both dogs and people by educating people to treat dogs better. I am glad commissioner Jairaj and the BMP are simply intensifying the sterilization drive, and isolating ferocious dogs for observation, and NOT killing mercilessly all the lovely, affectionate dogs of the city. I do hope no killing takes place, because it is clear to me that it will only worsen the situation!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
A "DOGS" CITY'S MASTER PLAN
Stray dogs nowadays have a new word to represent them, ’MENACE’. People may be divided into two groups, both emotionally activated, one driven by love and affection, the other by hate and repulsion. But for both types, and especially for those who are emotionally unattached to animals, there is a logical discourse & paradigm that may be looked at keeping all emotional arguments aside, to solve the newly named problem called – THE DOG MENACE. To start with, if we go back in human history, through various civilizations which succeeded each other, there has never been a period when the entire human population ceased to exist altogether in an area or region, unless guided by nature’s forces or inaccessible physical boundaries. For example, if someone were to eliminate the population of humans in a city, as was attempted in Japan during the World War 2, can the entire population be destroyed completely and for ever? No! Of course it can not be!
Any species is it human or animal cannot be forced out of existence altogether, no matter however large the scale of destruction is; and ANYTHING that MOVES and that has the intelligence even to the IQ level of a mosquito will not remain stationed in one place. Like we humans do, they will naturally move towards a better habitat and a territory of their own
Hence, the first inference that can be drawn is that NO SPECIES CAN BE PREVENTED FROM EXISTING AND NO LIVING CAN BE PREVENTED FROM MOVING AND INHABITATING EMPTY AND MORE COMFORTABLE AREAS, unless physical boundaries are made, or in cases of dogs, are made to understand signboards of “no entry”.
So the problem and solution that may lie is not with the existence of dogs but with the over population of any species. This is similar to the problem that metropolitan cities are facing, where the population of humans becomes alarmingly more as compared to the resources and space available. To solve human over population problem do we kill humans? No we don’t!! We control human population by PLANNING A CITY properly. Being an architect and a planner I can call it in technical terms the DENSITY OF LANDUSES of an area or city. In planning a city we decide how many people must be allowed to live in a square km of area on an average and what infrastructure can be provided to sustain the population planned. That also does not mean that we literally kill the rest or throw out the people who come thereafter. On the other hand, we implement the theoretical concept by a practical INDIRECT approach & solution, like controlling the influx of people by laws & methods of not allowing people to build on roads, pavements, common areas, etc. Hence, the human over population can be controlled by proper planning of the City; by an instrument we call the MASTER PLAN. And if the master plan fails, the human city faces havoc too. It is but natural. We don’t blame the humans in that case, we blame the planning.
Similarly in case of animals, dogs in particular, we cannot kill or keep throwing them out of localities because, as earlier concluded, this is not possible to achieve. So, as we plan our cities we have to solve the dog problem in a similar way, i.e. by deciding how many dogs live in a locality, how their multiplication is controlled and how dogs from outside the locality are prevented from entering the locality, i.e. a Density plan for them as well and its implementation strategy.
This can be achieved easily, as dogs are by nature territorial and do not allow other dogs to enter their “home or local habitat”, i.e. if we are able to provide the community dogs with all the ingredients of a “home or habitat” in its correct plan and proportions. This means two things. Firstly, making them comfortable in the area by feeding them properly, taking care of their medical needs and not providing them with garbage dumps where they can hunt for more food. By feeding them properly we can control their behaviour and can make them our guards and can in a way domesticate them. They would readily adjust themselves to the people of the locality and would accept them as their masters. Whereas if they feed on their own on garbage they need not look upon us for survival and will by nature form herds to protect their garbage dumps against anybody that threatens it, which is when we face problems like it happened in Bangalore or Hyderabad. It is highly logical that the way to a dogs mind and heart is through its stomach. If we can control that, we can make a dog do anything for us, anything at all. There are innumerable examples of that all over the world. And thereafter, to control the numbers increasing manifold, we implement the Animal Birth Control Program.
Thus the second inference that can be drawn is— THE PROBLEM OF STRAY DOGS CAN BE PERMANANTLY SOLVED by " ABC (Animal Birth Control) program along with adoption & providing a well PLANNED HABITAT for them, by domesticating them, so they guard and coexists with us rather than cause harm to us. Dogs can themselves Control the DENSITY & INFLUX of more dogs in a locality, thereafter. "
Within this solution an important practice has to be adopted in the ABC Program .The program will have to be run in a city in the same localities time and again, at least twice or thrice, because there is always a re-mixing of dogs between localities up to 20-30%, since they are not so hostile to share space with fellow dogs that may add in small numbers. So to ensure that no dog is left unvaccinated and unneutered, a cycle of ABC Program has to be created. Also, since the average life span of a dog is between 8-10 years, the time lag between cycles of implementation of the program become substantially wide thus making implementation very easy and effective .The same is not the case with killing because when dogs are killed in mass, dogs from other nearby areas migrate to this “dog free vacuum” within days and the situation becomes what it previously had been. Killing thus is like going round in a circle which has no finishing point, and till the day a device to kill all dogs simultaneously throughout the world is invented, like a deadly sound wave, killing will remain no solution to the problem. It will only aggravate the problem.
But, we can not forget the fact that, ABC Program in itself has been flawless except for one reason — wrong or inefficient implementation of the program. There are two practices which lead to the failure of the program. Firstly the neutered dogs being rehabilitated and left back in new areas i.e. not in the areas from where they were picked up for ABC Program. This leads to an adhoc implementation of the program, whose aim is to cover each locality systematically and not to carry the program in a haphazard way. Hence rehabilitation in the same area is very important. The second reason for the failure of the program lies with the practice of conducting the operation of neutering in shelters which are home to many diseased dogs. The healthy neutered dogs catch infection in these shelters and thus the Post Operative Survival Rate comes out to be highly low. The localities left vacant after the demise of these healthy dogs are occupied by dogs which may be diseased and unneutered, which is again the point from where it all started. Hence, an inefficient ABC program is as good as increasing numbers by mass killing and may result in more dogs in that locality.
Thus to make the ABC Program flawless, separate facilities need to be constructed for these operations and the dogs have to be rehabilitated in their respective original localities at all costs. Such a flawless ABC Program will effectively help control the dog population. Also a planned favorable habitat for the survival of the existing dogs will end the hostility these dogs feel to their existence. They would easily coexist with humans eliminating threat of any kind to the latter from their species.........................
Stray dogs nowadays have a new word to represent them, ’MENACE’. People may be divided into two groups, both emotionally activated, one driven by love and affection, the other by hate and repulsion. But for both types, and especially for those who are emotionally unattached to animals, there is a logical discourse & paradigm that may be looked at keeping all emotional arguments aside, to solve the newly named problem called – THE DOG MENACE. To start with, if we go back in human history, through various civilizations which succeeded each other, there has never been a period when the entire human population ceased to exist altogether in an area or region, unless guided by nature’s forces or inaccessible physical boundaries. For example, if someone were to eliminate the population of humans in a city, as was attempted in Japan during the World War 2, can the entire population be destroyed completely and for ever? No! Of course it can not be!
Any species is it human or animal cannot be forced out of existence altogether, no matter however large the scale of destruction is; and ANYTHING that MOVES and that has the intelligence even to the IQ level of a mosquito will not remain stationed in one place. Like we humans do, they will naturally move towards a better habitat and a territory of their own
Hence, the first inference that can be drawn is that NO SPECIES CAN BE PREVENTED FROM EXISTING AND NO LIVING CAN BE PREVENTED FROM MOVING AND INHABITATING EMPTY AND MORE COMFORTABLE AREAS, unless physical boundaries are made, or in cases of dogs, are made to understand signboards of “no entry”.
So the problem and solution that may lie is not with the existence of dogs but with the over population of any species. This is similar to the problem that metropolitan cities are facing, where the population of humans becomes alarmingly more as compared to the resources and space available. To solve human over population problem do we kill humans? No we don’t!! We control human population by PLANNING A CITY properly. Being an architect and a planner I can call it in technical terms the DENSITY OF LANDUSES of an area or city. In planning a city we decide how many people must be allowed to live in a square km of area on an average and what infrastructure can be provided to sustain the population planned. That also does not mean that we literally kill the rest or throw out the people who come thereafter. On the other hand, we implement the theoretical concept by a practical INDIRECT approach & solution, like controlling the influx of people by laws & methods of not allowing people to build on roads, pavements, common areas, etc. Hence, the human over population can be controlled by proper planning of the City; by an instrument we call the MASTER PLAN. And if the master plan fails, the human city faces havoc too. It is but natural. We don’t blame the humans in that case, we blame the planning.
Similarly in case of animals, dogs in particular, we cannot kill or keep throwing them out of localities because, as earlier concluded, this is not possible to achieve. So, as we plan our cities we have to solve the dog problem in a similar way, i.e. by deciding how many dogs live in a locality, how their multiplication is controlled and how dogs from outside the locality are prevented from entering the locality, i.e. a Density plan for them as well and its implementation strategy.
This can be achieved easily, as dogs are by nature territorial and do not allow other dogs to enter their “home or local habitat”, i.e. if we are able to provide the community dogs with all the ingredients of a “home or habitat” in its correct plan and proportions. This means two things. Firstly, making them comfortable in the area by feeding them properly, taking care of their medical needs and not providing them with garbage dumps where they can hunt for more food. By feeding them properly we can control their behaviour and can make them our guards and can in a way domesticate them. They would readily adjust themselves to the people of the locality and would accept them as their masters. Whereas if they feed on their own on garbage they need not look upon us for survival and will by nature form herds to protect their garbage dumps against anybody that threatens it, which is when we face problems like it happened in Bangalore or Hyderabad. It is highly logical that the way to a dogs mind and heart is through its stomach. If we can control that, we can make a dog do anything for us, anything at all. There are innumerable examples of that all over the world. And thereafter, to control the numbers increasing manifold, we implement the Animal Birth Control Program.
Thus the second inference that can be drawn is— THE PROBLEM OF STRAY DOGS CAN BE PERMANANTLY SOLVED by " ABC (Animal Birth Control) program along with adoption & providing a well PLANNED HABITAT for them, by domesticating them, so they guard and coexists with us rather than cause harm to us. Dogs can themselves Control the DENSITY & INFLUX of more dogs in a locality, thereafter. "
Within this solution an important practice has to be adopted in the ABC Program .The program will have to be run in a city in the same localities time and again, at least twice or thrice, because there is always a re-mixing of dogs between localities up to 20-30%, since they are not so hostile to share space with fellow dogs that may add in small numbers. So to ensure that no dog is left unvaccinated and unneutered, a cycle of ABC Program has to be created. Also, since the average life span of a dog is between 8-10 years, the time lag between cycles of implementation of the program become substantially wide thus making implementation very easy and effective .The same is not the case with killing because when dogs are killed in mass, dogs from other nearby areas migrate to this “dog free vacuum” within days and the situation becomes what it previously had been. Killing thus is like going round in a circle which has no finishing point, and till the day a device to kill all dogs simultaneously throughout the world is invented, like a deadly sound wave, killing will remain no solution to the problem. It will only aggravate the problem.
But, we can not forget the fact that, ABC Program in itself has been flawless except for one reason — wrong or inefficient implementation of the program. There are two practices which lead to the failure of the program. Firstly the neutered dogs being rehabilitated and left back in new areas i.e. not in the areas from where they were picked up for ABC Program. This leads to an adhoc implementation of the program, whose aim is to cover each locality systematically and not to carry the program in a haphazard way. Hence rehabilitation in the same area is very important. The second reason for the failure of the program lies with the practice of conducting the operation of neutering in shelters which are home to many diseased dogs. The healthy neutered dogs catch infection in these shelters and thus the Post Operative Survival Rate comes out to be highly low. The localities left vacant after the demise of these healthy dogs are occupied by dogs which may be diseased and unneutered, which is again the point from where it all started. Hence, an inefficient ABC program is as good as increasing numbers by mass killing and may result in more dogs in that locality.
Thus to make the ABC Program flawless, separate facilities need to be constructed for these operations and the dogs have to be rehabilitated in their respective original localities at all costs. Such a flawless ABC Program will effectively help control the dog population. Also a planned favorable habitat for the survival of the existing dogs will end the hostility these dogs feel to their existence. They would easily coexist with humans eliminating threat of any kind to the latter from their species.........................
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
MENAKA GANDHI APPEARANCE
Menaka Gandhi appears before Andhra Human Rights CommissionAnimal rights activists and MP Menaka Gandhi today appeared before the Andhra Pradesh Human Rights Commission(APHRC).Following the summons issued by the APHRC in connection with the killing of stray dogs in the capital city, Ms Gandhi appeared before APHRC Chairman Justice B Subashin Reddy.Ms Gandhi expressed her views on the killing of stray dogs in the city.The Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad had taken up a drive to kill stray dogs, following the increasing dog attacks on civilians recently.
Menaka Gandhi appears before Andhra Human Rights CommissionAnimal rights activists and MP Menaka Gandhi today appeared before the Andhra Pradesh Human Rights Commission(APHRC).Following the summons issued by the APHRC in connection with the killing of stray dogs in the capital city, Ms Gandhi appeared before APHRC Chairman Justice B Subashin Reddy.Ms Gandhi expressed her views on the killing of stray dogs in the city.The Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad had taken up a drive to kill stray dogs, following the increasing dog attacks on civilians recently.
AHF THREATENS TO PULL OUT DOG MENACE
Animal Help Foundation (AHF), the voluntary organisation that has taken up mass sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs in the old city, is threatening to pull out. It has charged Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) of "non-cooperation" and for "not providing proper logistics and infrastructure support" for its team working here since the past one week. AHF has managed to catch, neuter and vaccinate over 200 dogs so far. It stopped work as it was getting "difficult to function", said its founder-secretary Rahul Sehgal. GHMC had provided a rickety vehicle that "stops every 10 minutes and needs towing". To top it they have been saddled with a "drunk driver who neither comes on time nor can converse in Hindi", he alleged over phone from Ahmedabad. AHF's serious charge could spell big trouble for GHMC since stray dogs menace has become a big issue. "We need a senior official to accompany us who can help us in talking to the local people, have proper security as we are bound to face some resistance and also tackle anti-social elements. Unfortunately, this is not happening," he said. Mr. Sehgal said his 14-member team with five vets have the capacity to operate on 1,000 dogs within a month though it has been given a three-month time frame. "I am very disappointed with the attitude here," he lamented. AHF was contracted to neuter and vaccinate dogs in erstwhile circle one of MCH on a pilot basis and later expand throughout the city, as they had successfully done 45,000 operations in Ahmedabad last year. "We came here despite heavy workload. We want to do a thorough job and provide training on our methods," said Mr. Sehgal, still willing to make a last ditch effort.
Animal Help Foundation (AHF), the voluntary organisation that has taken up mass sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs in the old city, is threatening to pull out. It has charged Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) of "non-cooperation" and for "not providing proper logistics and infrastructure support" for its team working here since the past one week. AHF has managed to catch, neuter and vaccinate over 200 dogs so far. It stopped work as it was getting "difficult to function", said its founder-secretary Rahul Sehgal. GHMC had provided a rickety vehicle that "stops every 10 minutes and needs towing". To top it they have been saddled with a "drunk driver who neither comes on time nor can converse in Hindi", he alleged over phone from Ahmedabad. AHF's serious charge could spell big trouble for GHMC since stray dogs menace has become a big issue. "We need a senior official to accompany us who can help us in talking to the local people, have proper security as we are bound to face some resistance and also tackle anti-social elements. Unfortunately, this is not happening," he said. Mr. Sehgal said his 14-member team with five vets have the capacity to operate on 1,000 dogs within a month though it has been given a three-month time frame. "I am very disappointed with the attitude here," he lamented. AHF was contracted to neuter and vaccinate dogs in erstwhile circle one of MCH on a pilot basis and later expand throughout the city, as they had successfully done 45,000 operations in Ahmedabad last year. "We came here despite heavy workload. We want to do a thorough job and provide training on our methods," said Mr. Sehgal, still willing to make a last ditch effort.
Monday, June 4, 2007
1)Are Canaan Dogs Good Family Pets?
Canaan Dogs are great family members as they are not typically a one -person dog. It is important to remember that the entire family should have the same expectations as far as behavior. A Canaan Dog will quickly learn who to regard and who to manipulate.
2)Are Canaan Dogs Good With Children?
As with all dogs, it is important to socialize a Canaan Dog with children at a young age and supervise all interactions. Canaan Dogs, in gerneral, do well with children as they are very gentle and aware of their bodies. These dogs are usually sensitive enough to adjust their play style to their playmate. Even the most wary of Canaan Dogs instinctively trust children. In fact, in the desert homelands of the Canaan Dog, it is often found that the children of the camps are the only ones who can approach the pariah dogs.
3)Are Canaan Dogs Friendly With Other Pets?
In most cases, Canaan Dogs get along well with other pets. Puppies and adults both need to be introduced to other pets properly and taught the boundaries. It is important to remember that the family cat in the house will be treated differently than a neighbor's cat walking through your yard. A cat running outdoors may be considered 'prey' like birds and small rodents. The cat in your home will be a companion, or at least ignored if raised together properly. Canaan Dogs do exhibit some same-sex aggression tendencies, which are manageable. If you plan to have only 2 dogs, then opposite sex pets or ones with a substantial age difference usually work best.
4)Are Canaan Dogs Respectful of Wildlife?
No. Canaan Dogs are natural dogs, which make them hunters. They retain the entire sequence of the prey drive; stalk, chase, catch, kill, and sometimes consume. In breeds bred for certain tasks, parts of the prey drive have been enhanced or diminished. For example, Border Collies have the stalking and chasing enhanced and not the behaviors beyond these. Generally the prey drive is directed at small game (mice, birds, rabbits squirrels, etc) and some Canaan Dogs are very successful hunters. Ironically, a high percentage of Canaan Dogs pass herding instinct tests with flying colors. When used on larger herds of herbivores, such as sheep, they exhibit the appropriate portions of the prey drive: stalking and chasing. This is not a quality that has been specifically bred for.
5)What Are Canaan Dog Temperaments Like?
A well-socialized Canaan Dog is a unique and versatile companion animal. They are bright, inquisitive, alert, sensitive, and comical. They excel at all areas of dog sport including agility, herding, obedience, and conformation. A poorly socialized Canaan Dog or one going through a fear period is timid, fearful, reactive, and neophobic.
6)Are Canaan Dogs Easy to Train?
Yes and no. Canaan Dogs learn behaviors very readily as they are quite smart. Are they always obedient? Not necessarily. Canaan Dogs are gifted human manipulators and learn how to read their humans to achieve their goal. They usually do this by being charming. They learn quickly whom they must listen to and whom they can ignore and will constantly test the boundaries of acceptable behavior.
7)Do Canaan Dogs Make Good City Dwellers?
Yes! With their minimal exercise requirements and independent nature, Canaan Dogs do very well in the city. They are naturally clean and have good house manners. The city environment is also great socialization for mitigating the wary Canaan Dog temperament. Please note, not all Canaan Dogs will be dog park friendly.
8)Are Canaan Dogs Barkers?
Canaan Dogs are exceptional watchdogs. Please note, this is not to be confused with a guard dog. Watchdogs sound an alarm when something is amiss. Guard dogs will generally take action. Canaan Dogs, with their keen senses and wary nature will sound the alarm at anything or anyone they consider new in their territory and potentially dangerous. They characteristically bark while staying out of reach of the potential danger by moving in circles. It is important to start training early by praising their alarm and teaching a "quiet" or "enough" command. Most Canaan Dogs respond well to this excercise.
9)Are Canaan Dogs Guard Dogs?
No. A Canaan Dog would not risk his own safety for anyone. He is a watchdog and alarm barker. He alerts his 'pack' to potential danger by barking and circling. Personally, I do not feel like my Canaan Dogs are ever protecting me. They are protecting themselves and their territory - I just happen to be close by and reap the benefits.
10)Are Canaan Dogs Aggressive?
The word aggressive is a broad term and covers a variety of behaviors to the lay person. Canaan Dogs are derived from an ancient stock of pariah dog and retain their natural canine ways. The Canaan Dog requires extensive socialization and training for a longer period than most breeds. Your dedication in their rearing largely affects the resultant adult temperament.
Canaan Dog puppies are generally outgoing and well-behaved in the department of house manners. Puppies can be termed 'aggressive' when seen roughhousing in doggie play groups. Canaan Dogs play very LOUDLY and rough, which leads to some to believe they are ‘aggressive.’ Remember the Canaan Dogs’ pariah dog roots…if you saw pariah dog pups on the Discovery Channel, you would notice their rough and tumble play. Canaan Dog fanciers know the pups are just playing the only way they know how.
Canaan Dog adolescents sometimes enter a fear period at ~ 9-12 months. For some, this period doesn't subside until ~ 2 years old. At this time, the dog may pull away from the touch of strangers, be hyper-neophobic, bark at benign things, have a wide-eyed stare and demonstrate avoidance. If the dog has not been raised and handled properly to this point, this stage may show itself in an extreme way to keep people at bay. Some people may consider this period 'aggressive' should they even appear ready to bite out of fear. In general, the Canaan Dog is not a biter. Canaan Dogs will largely choose flight over fight as a stress response.
At the age of ~ 2, the maturing adult might become more territorial of his home turf. Home turf for a Canaan Dog means anything he considers "his" - which could include your local dog park (if you visit often enough), the family car, or other frequently visited places. A Canaan Dog will keep interlopers from invading his space unless they have been raised to regard his owners opinion over his own.
Canaan Dogs (adults and pups) tend to be the dominant sort and will often be the 'bully' or top dog. To people with breeds less wanting to lead, this can appear as aggression.
For example, one of my bitches when taken to an offleash dog park (which I have found only to be enjoyable for all until the dog reaches maturity) is the 'controller'. She is happy to ignore other dogs at my request, however if any other dogs start playing rough, she breaks it up. Her appearance between to wrestling dogs, accompanied by barking or grumbling at each, has been called 'aggression'. She did not attack, bite, or otherwise torture the playing dogs. She simply stopped them from playing. I do not call this aggression, but others did and it certainly did put a damper on the fun of the wrestling labs and their owners.
As an adult the types of aggression that need the owners management the most would be same-sex, territorial, or prey-drive all of which are managable in a well-trained and socialized Canaan Dog. But the question is, do you want to be a manager? Canaan Dogs need management, otherwise they will walk all over a passive owner. If you train and socialize with confidence throughout puppyhood and adolescence, you will be rewarded with a well-adjusted, entertaining, sensitive companion who can accompany you most anywhere.
So, to answer the question as best I can, I believe Canaan Dogs could be considered by some to be aggressive in some way, but that is largely the fault of the owner. Canaan Dog owners have to be aware that they have a savvy, intelligent, and very natural dog whose regard is earned with lots of early training and socialization.
11)What Are Canaan Dogs Used For?
The Israeli Army originally used Canaan Dogs as sentry dogs and for mine detection. The pariah dogs lived on the fringes of human settlements and were used as flock and camp guardians. Today, most Canaan Dogs are loyal family companions and watch dogs. They are used in dog sport competitions such as obedience, conformation, agility, herding, and tracking.
Why Do Canaan Dogs Look So Different From Each Other?
Every breed has a breed standard. In Canaan Dogs, the original breed standard forms the basis of the standard for different kennel clubs. Canaan Dogs came from stock with a wide range of ways to look and different people interpret the standard in their own way. This results in some Canaan Dogs that look different from one another. Please visit A Range of Styles for a more in depth explanation.
12)How Big Are Canaan Dogs?
The AKC standard accepts Canaan Dogs between 18-25 inches and 35-55 lbs. This is a large range, with the males at the middle to upper end and females at the lower to middle end of the spectrum. The ideal Canaan Dog falls in the middle of this range 19-23 inches and 40-55 lbs.
13)Do Canaan Dogs Shed?
Yes. Canaan Dogs blow their coat twice a year. This is most dramatic in intact females. Weekly brushing and a bath during shedding season are helpful.
14)What Health Issues Might Canaan Dogs Have?
Canaan Dogs are generally considered a healthy breed. On occasion, some exhibit health issues such as hypothyroidism, cardiac abnormalities, cancer, cataracts, hip dysplasia, slipping patellas and epilepsy. These occur sporadically and at no greater incidence versus any other breed.
15)What Is The Average Lifespan of a Canaan Dog?
A Canaan Dog can live a long healthy life. 12-16 years is not unreasonable. This breed remains active and in working and breeding condition long beyond what is possible in other breeds.
What Should I Look For In A Canaan Dog Breeder?
Look for a breeder you feel comfortable talking to and connect with. Your relationship with a responsible breeder is going to begin- not end-with the placement of your puppy and will extend for the lifetime of that dog. You should look for a breeder who asks a lot of questions, has a placement contract, and offers post-placement support. Part of a responsible breeders job is to help determine if a Canaan Dog is right for you.
If possible, you should try to meet the breeder and his/her dogs in person so you can assess the condition of the dogs and facility. However, this is not always possible due to the rarity of the breed. Don’t be afraid to ask your breeder for references from other people who bought puppies from them.
16)Is There a Waiting List For A Canaan Dog Puppy?
Yes, once you have established a relationship with a breeder and you both have decided that a Canaan Dog is right for you. The Canaan Dog is a rare breed and it is not uncommon to wait 6-12 months for the right puppy.
Since the Canaan Dog is a rare, it is very important for the breeding community to keep our best dogs intact for contribution to future generations. Responsible homes wanting to show their dog in conformation and/or performance events as well as keep the animal intact for the breeder are generally given a higher priority.
17)How Much Does A Canaan Dog Puppy Cost?
Depending on whom you get your puppy from, you should expect to pay $600-$1200 for a well-bred Canaan Dog from a responsible breeder. The average cost being closer to $1000.00. Depending on the breeder, some may retain breeding rights on animals sold as show prospects or charge more for show vs. pet Canaan Dogs.
18)What Age Are Puppies Sent Home?
We send puppies home between the ages of 9-12 weeks.
19)Why do you breed Canaan Dogs?
We breed Canaan Dogs because we love the breed and support its place in the dog fancy. We enjoy dogs and the sports we partake in with our Canaan Dogs. We are fascinated by the art and science of producing quality Canaan Dogs to touch and enrich other people's lives as much as our dogs enrich our lives.
20)What Do We Like Most About Canaan Dogs?
That they are so bright, they keep us on our toes in their efforts to outsmart us. We enjoy their versatility, beauty, and natural canine behavior.
Least?
That they are so bright, they keep us on our toes in their efforts to outsmart us.
21)What Do You Look For in a Show Quality Canaan Dog?
We look for a healthy Canaan Dog with a wonderful temperament that has a sound structure and beautiful effortless movement together with correct breed type
NOTE: HERE "CANAAN DOG" MEANS "STRAY DOG"
Canaan Dogs are great family members as they are not typically a one -person dog. It is important to remember that the entire family should have the same expectations as far as behavior. A Canaan Dog will quickly learn who to regard and who to manipulate.
2)Are Canaan Dogs Good With Children?
As with all dogs, it is important to socialize a Canaan Dog with children at a young age and supervise all interactions. Canaan Dogs, in gerneral, do well with children as they are very gentle and aware of their bodies. These dogs are usually sensitive enough to adjust their play style to their playmate. Even the most wary of Canaan Dogs instinctively trust children. In fact, in the desert homelands of the Canaan Dog, it is often found that the children of the camps are the only ones who can approach the pariah dogs.
3)Are Canaan Dogs Friendly With Other Pets?
In most cases, Canaan Dogs get along well with other pets. Puppies and adults both need to be introduced to other pets properly and taught the boundaries. It is important to remember that the family cat in the house will be treated differently than a neighbor's cat walking through your yard. A cat running outdoors may be considered 'prey' like birds and small rodents. The cat in your home will be a companion, or at least ignored if raised together properly. Canaan Dogs do exhibit some same-sex aggression tendencies, which are manageable. If you plan to have only 2 dogs, then opposite sex pets or ones with a substantial age difference usually work best.
4)Are Canaan Dogs Respectful of Wildlife?
No. Canaan Dogs are natural dogs, which make them hunters. They retain the entire sequence of the prey drive; stalk, chase, catch, kill, and sometimes consume. In breeds bred for certain tasks, parts of the prey drive have been enhanced or diminished. For example, Border Collies have the stalking and chasing enhanced and not the behaviors beyond these. Generally the prey drive is directed at small game (mice, birds, rabbits squirrels, etc) and some Canaan Dogs are very successful hunters. Ironically, a high percentage of Canaan Dogs pass herding instinct tests with flying colors. When used on larger herds of herbivores, such as sheep, they exhibit the appropriate portions of the prey drive: stalking and chasing. This is not a quality that has been specifically bred for.
5)What Are Canaan Dog Temperaments Like?
A well-socialized Canaan Dog is a unique and versatile companion animal. They are bright, inquisitive, alert, sensitive, and comical. They excel at all areas of dog sport including agility, herding, obedience, and conformation. A poorly socialized Canaan Dog or one going through a fear period is timid, fearful, reactive, and neophobic.
6)Are Canaan Dogs Easy to Train?
Yes and no. Canaan Dogs learn behaviors very readily as they are quite smart. Are they always obedient? Not necessarily. Canaan Dogs are gifted human manipulators and learn how to read their humans to achieve their goal. They usually do this by being charming. They learn quickly whom they must listen to and whom they can ignore and will constantly test the boundaries of acceptable behavior.
7)Do Canaan Dogs Make Good City Dwellers?
Yes! With their minimal exercise requirements and independent nature, Canaan Dogs do very well in the city. They are naturally clean and have good house manners. The city environment is also great socialization for mitigating the wary Canaan Dog temperament. Please note, not all Canaan Dogs will be dog park friendly.
8)Are Canaan Dogs Barkers?
Canaan Dogs are exceptional watchdogs. Please note, this is not to be confused with a guard dog. Watchdogs sound an alarm when something is amiss. Guard dogs will generally take action. Canaan Dogs, with their keen senses and wary nature will sound the alarm at anything or anyone they consider new in their territory and potentially dangerous. They characteristically bark while staying out of reach of the potential danger by moving in circles. It is important to start training early by praising their alarm and teaching a "quiet" or "enough" command. Most Canaan Dogs respond well to this excercise.
9)Are Canaan Dogs Guard Dogs?
No. A Canaan Dog would not risk his own safety for anyone. He is a watchdog and alarm barker. He alerts his 'pack' to potential danger by barking and circling. Personally, I do not feel like my Canaan Dogs are ever protecting me. They are protecting themselves and their territory - I just happen to be close by and reap the benefits.
10)Are Canaan Dogs Aggressive?
The word aggressive is a broad term and covers a variety of behaviors to the lay person. Canaan Dogs are derived from an ancient stock of pariah dog and retain their natural canine ways. The Canaan Dog requires extensive socialization and training for a longer period than most breeds. Your dedication in their rearing largely affects the resultant adult temperament.
Canaan Dog puppies are generally outgoing and well-behaved in the department of house manners. Puppies can be termed 'aggressive' when seen roughhousing in doggie play groups. Canaan Dogs play very LOUDLY and rough, which leads to some to believe they are ‘aggressive.’ Remember the Canaan Dogs’ pariah dog roots…if you saw pariah dog pups on the Discovery Channel, you would notice their rough and tumble play. Canaan Dog fanciers know the pups are just playing the only way they know how.
Canaan Dog adolescents sometimes enter a fear period at ~ 9-12 months. For some, this period doesn't subside until ~ 2 years old. At this time, the dog may pull away from the touch of strangers, be hyper-neophobic, bark at benign things, have a wide-eyed stare and demonstrate avoidance. If the dog has not been raised and handled properly to this point, this stage may show itself in an extreme way to keep people at bay. Some people may consider this period 'aggressive' should they even appear ready to bite out of fear. In general, the Canaan Dog is not a biter. Canaan Dogs will largely choose flight over fight as a stress response.
At the age of ~ 2, the maturing adult might become more territorial of his home turf. Home turf for a Canaan Dog means anything he considers "his" - which could include your local dog park (if you visit often enough), the family car, or other frequently visited places. A Canaan Dog will keep interlopers from invading his space unless they have been raised to regard his owners opinion over his own.
Canaan Dogs (adults and pups) tend to be the dominant sort and will often be the 'bully' or top dog. To people with breeds less wanting to lead, this can appear as aggression.
For example, one of my bitches when taken to an offleash dog park (which I have found only to be enjoyable for all until the dog reaches maturity) is the 'controller'. She is happy to ignore other dogs at my request, however if any other dogs start playing rough, she breaks it up. Her appearance between to wrestling dogs, accompanied by barking or grumbling at each, has been called 'aggression'. She did not attack, bite, or otherwise torture the playing dogs. She simply stopped them from playing. I do not call this aggression, but others did and it certainly did put a damper on the fun of the wrestling labs and their owners.
As an adult the types of aggression that need the owners management the most would be same-sex, territorial, or prey-drive all of which are managable in a well-trained and socialized Canaan Dog. But the question is, do you want to be a manager? Canaan Dogs need management, otherwise they will walk all over a passive owner. If you train and socialize with confidence throughout puppyhood and adolescence, you will be rewarded with a well-adjusted, entertaining, sensitive companion who can accompany you most anywhere.
So, to answer the question as best I can, I believe Canaan Dogs could be considered by some to be aggressive in some way, but that is largely the fault of the owner. Canaan Dog owners have to be aware that they have a savvy, intelligent, and very natural dog whose regard is earned with lots of early training and socialization.
11)What Are Canaan Dogs Used For?
The Israeli Army originally used Canaan Dogs as sentry dogs and for mine detection. The pariah dogs lived on the fringes of human settlements and were used as flock and camp guardians. Today, most Canaan Dogs are loyal family companions and watch dogs. They are used in dog sport competitions such as obedience, conformation, agility, herding, and tracking.
Why Do Canaan Dogs Look So Different From Each Other?
Every breed has a breed standard. In Canaan Dogs, the original breed standard forms the basis of the standard for different kennel clubs. Canaan Dogs came from stock with a wide range of ways to look and different people interpret the standard in their own way. This results in some Canaan Dogs that look different from one another. Please visit A Range of Styles for a more in depth explanation.
12)How Big Are Canaan Dogs?
The AKC standard accepts Canaan Dogs between 18-25 inches and 35-55 lbs. This is a large range, with the males at the middle to upper end and females at the lower to middle end of the spectrum. The ideal Canaan Dog falls in the middle of this range 19-23 inches and 40-55 lbs.
13)Do Canaan Dogs Shed?
Yes. Canaan Dogs blow their coat twice a year. This is most dramatic in intact females. Weekly brushing and a bath during shedding season are helpful.
14)What Health Issues Might Canaan Dogs Have?
Canaan Dogs are generally considered a healthy breed. On occasion, some exhibit health issues such as hypothyroidism, cardiac abnormalities, cancer, cataracts, hip dysplasia, slipping patellas and epilepsy. These occur sporadically and at no greater incidence versus any other breed.
15)What Is The Average Lifespan of a Canaan Dog?
A Canaan Dog can live a long healthy life. 12-16 years is not unreasonable. This breed remains active and in working and breeding condition long beyond what is possible in other breeds.
What Should I Look For In A Canaan Dog Breeder?
Look for a breeder you feel comfortable talking to and connect with. Your relationship with a responsible breeder is going to begin- not end-with the placement of your puppy and will extend for the lifetime of that dog. You should look for a breeder who asks a lot of questions, has a placement contract, and offers post-placement support. Part of a responsible breeders job is to help determine if a Canaan Dog is right for you.
If possible, you should try to meet the breeder and his/her dogs in person so you can assess the condition of the dogs and facility. However, this is not always possible due to the rarity of the breed. Don’t be afraid to ask your breeder for references from other people who bought puppies from them.
16)Is There a Waiting List For A Canaan Dog Puppy?
Yes, once you have established a relationship with a breeder and you both have decided that a Canaan Dog is right for you. The Canaan Dog is a rare breed and it is not uncommon to wait 6-12 months for the right puppy.
Since the Canaan Dog is a rare, it is very important for the breeding community to keep our best dogs intact for contribution to future generations. Responsible homes wanting to show their dog in conformation and/or performance events as well as keep the animal intact for the breeder are generally given a higher priority.
17)How Much Does A Canaan Dog Puppy Cost?
Depending on whom you get your puppy from, you should expect to pay $600-$1200 for a well-bred Canaan Dog from a responsible breeder. The average cost being closer to $1000.00. Depending on the breeder, some may retain breeding rights on animals sold as show prospects or charge more for show vs. pet Canaan Dogs.
18)What Age Are Puppies Sent Home?
We send puppies home between the ages of 9-12 weeks.
19)Why do you breed Canaan Dogs?
We breed Canaan Dogs because we love the breed and support its place in the dog fancy. We enjoy dogs and the sports we partake in with our Canaan Dogs. We are fascinated by the art and science of producing quality Canaan Dogs to touch and enrich other people's lives as much as our dogs enrich our lives.
20)What Do We Like Most About Canaan Dogs?
That they are so bright, they keep us on our toes in their efforts to outsmart us. We enjoy their versatility, beauty, and natural canine behavior.
Least?
That they are so bright, they keep us on our toes in their efforts to outsmart us.
21)What Do You Look For in a Show Quality Canaan Dog?
We look for a healthy Canaan Dog with a wonderful temperament that has a sound structure and beautiful effortless movement together with correct breed type
NOTE: HERE "CANAAN DOG" MEANS "STRAY DOG"
Sunday, June 3, 2007
STRAY DOGS
Many people in our society consider stray dogs as a nuisance. They say things like: “Why do these stray dogs exist?”; “They are dirtying our streets”; “They scare off our children”; “They bite people and spread rabies”; “Why aren’t they removed from here?”
The animal lovers say: “Dogs have a right to live too”; “We don’t own this earth, dogs have equal rights to live on this land”; “How can you throw out a mother and her small furry pups? Don't you have a heart?”
Both parties are right in a way. We cannot kill/remove stray dogs from a place because they are living beings like us capable of all emotions and suffering and hence have a right too like us to live in that space. So, to solve the problem of rabies and over-population of street dogs, we need to find solutions that are ETHICAL and LAWFUL.
The solution is sterilization and vaccination of street dogs of our colony. Sterilization basically involves spaying of females and castration of male dogs so that they do not reproduce. Vaccination involves giving the dogs an anti-rabies shot. After sterilization the dogs do not reproduce and hence their population becomes stable. As they are vaccinated against Rabies and other diseases they do not pose any health hazard.
Killing or removal of dogs from an area is not a solution as is normally thought. Since dogs are territorial animals they will not allow any other dog to enter the colony. If the dogs are removed from an area other dogs from surrounding colonies will take their place. Thus we will be back to initial situation after say few months. Further these new dogs may be unsterilized and unvaccinated which will only worsen the situation.
The sterilization and vaccination program will satisfy both the dog ‘haters’ and ‘lovers’.
The ‘Dog Haters' will be happy since:
v No new pups will be born which will now allow the population to stabilize
v Vaccination against rabies makes the danger from the disease negligible
v Sterilized male dogs will not fight over females and create a 'nuisance'
v Bitches are more prone to biting people when they give birth. This threat will also be eliminated.
v Dogs are territorial animals. Sterilized dogs will not allow other 'alien' animals to come into the colony.
Thus the population of dogs will be stabilized, leaving only healthy, sterilized and vaccinated dogs in the colony.
The 'Dog Lovers', they are satisfied since:
v There is no cruelty as the dogs are not removed or killed and are allowed to be there.
v Pups are not born every year only to die from hunger, disease or be run over by motorists.
v People won’t have fear of rabies because dogs will be vaccinated so they won’t demand their removal.
v As the residents do not hate and ill treat dogs, the animals do not feel threatened and are less aggressive and hostile.
Thus sterilization and vaccination can solve problems and keep all resident groups happy.
FEW BENEFITS OF STRAY DOGS
Though it may seem paradoxical, but having dogs in a society makes it safer! Even when guards are employed, they normally sit together at the gate and pass the night especially during the winters. Also when they patrol the colony at night they cannot detect unscrupulous persons hiding behind, say trees or under cars or see them in unilluminated and dark areas. But such persons are easily detected by the street dogs.
There have been so many cases where many a thief has been detected by the dogs who have alerted the guards and others by their barking. During the days of Punjab terrorism, whenever the terrorists wanted to strike in a particular village, the first activity they carried out was to drive away or kill the dogs as otherwise it was not possible for them to even enter the village.
STERILIZATION PROCESS
A Society for Stray Canine Welfare formed in December 2002, has 5 Animal NGOs running dog sterilization centers. Since March 2003 where over 15,000 dogs are being sterilized annually. Dog sterilizations are being done in East Delhi at MCD Hospital in Ghazipur and by the NOIDA SPCA. It is now the policy of MCD to sterilize and vaccinate dogs and encourage RWAs and individuals who are engaged in it. This program has been adopted very successfully by many societies in Delhi and other cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Jaipur, Chennai etc.
STRICT LAWS
We would like to bring to your notice that catching and removing street dogs, or harming, killing them is in violation of the judgment of the Delhi High Court given on 16 December, 1992 in Smt. Maneka Gandhi vs. MCD/NDMC Suit No. 1246/92. The court has said that street dogs are a part of the city and just being classed as a stray dog does not mean it should be killed. The court had accepted that sterilization and vaccination of dogs is the only scientific and humane solution of the so-called problem of street dogs and directed the MCD / NDMC to follow the same.
The court had observed that ‘It needs no great learning to appreciate that dogs or animals are not encroachers on earth and there is no question of eliminating them….it is the duty of every citizen to have compassion to animals including dogs…. All state functionaries such as MCD/NDMC cannot ignore this obligation’.
Harming, killing or subjecting any animal to pain and suffering is an offence under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA act), 1960, and Sections 428 and 429 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The punishment for these crimes includes a fine and an imprisonment of upto 5 years or both.
We would like you to please inform the residents of your area regarding the sterilization and vaccination program, the laws, the Delhi Court judgment on dogs and also MCD’s commitment in this regard. Please request the residents not to indulge in activities violating the Court judgment and the laws (PCA Act and IPC) and help the MCD, NGOs and individuals engaged in the sterilization and vaccination of dogs of the colony. This is the only way that will create a safe and healthy environment for both humans and animals.
Many people in our society consider stray dogs as a nuisance. They say things like: “Why do these stray dogs exist?”; “They are dirtying our streets”; “They scare off our children”; “They bite people and spread rabies”; “Why aren’t they removed from here?”
The animal lovers say: “Dogs have a right to live too”; “We don’t own this earth, dogs have equal rights to live on this land”; “How can you throw out a mother and her small furry pups? Don't you have a heart?”
Both parties are right in a way. We cannot kill/remove stray dogs from a place because they are living beings like us capable of all emotions and suffering and hence have a right too like us to live in that space. So, to solve the problem of rabies and over-population of street dogs, we need to find solutions that are ETHICAL and LAWFUL.
The solution is sterilization and vaccination of street dogs of our colony. Sterilization basically involves spaying of females and castration of male dogs so that they do not reproduce. Vaccination involves giving the dogs an anti-rabies shot. After sterilization the dogs do not reproduce and hence their population becomes stable. As they are vaccinated against Rabies and other diseases they do not pose any health hazard.
Killing or removal of dogs from an area is not a solution as is normally thought. Since dogs are territorial animals they will not allow any other dog to enter the colony. If the dogs are removed from an area other dogs from surrounding colonies will take their place. Thus we will be back to initial situation after say few months. Further these new dogs may be unsterilized and unvaccinated which will only worsen the situation.
The sterilization and vaccination program will satisfy both the dog ‘haters’ and ‘lovers’.
The ‘Dog Haters' will be happy since:
v No new pups will be born which will now allow the population to stabilize
v Vaccination against rabies makes the danger from the disease negligible
v Sterilized male dogs will not fight over females and create a 'nuisance'
v Bitches are more prone to biting people when they give birth. This threat will also be eliminated.
v Dogs are territorial animals. Sterilized dogs will not allow other 'alien' animals to come into the colony.
Thus the population of dogs will be stabilized, leaving only healthy, sterilized and vaccinated dogs in the colony.
The 'Dog Lovers', they are satisfied since:
v There is no cruelty as the dogs are not removed or killed and are allowed to be there.
v Pups are not born every year only to die from hunger, disease or be run over by motorists.
v People won’t have fear of rabies because dogs will be vaccinated so they won’t demand their removal.
v As the residents do not hate and ill treat dogs, the animals do not feel threatened and are less aggressive and hostile.
Thus sterilization and vaccination can solve problems and keep all resident groups happy.
FEW BENEFITS OF STRAY DOGS
Though it may seem paradoxical, but having dogs in a society makes it safer! Even when guards are employed, they normally sit together at the gate and pass the night especially during the winters. Also when they patrol the colony at night they cannot detect unscrupulous persons hiding behind, say trees or under cars or see them in unilluminated and dark areas. But such persons are easily detected by the street dogs.
There have been so many cases where many a thief has been detected by the dogs who have alerted the guards and others by their barking. During the days of Punjab terrorism, whenever the terrorists wanted to strike in a particular village, the first activity they carried out was to drive away or kill the dogs as otherwise it was not possible for them to even enter the village.
STERILIZATION PROCESS
A Society for Stray Canine Welfare formed in December 2002, has 5 Animal NGOs running dog sterilization centers. Since March 2003 where over 15,000 dogs are being sterilized annually. Dog sterilizations are being done in East Delhi at MCD Hospital in Ghazipur and by the NOIDA SPCA. It is now the policy of MCD to sterilize and vaccinate dogs and encourage RWAs and individuals who are engaged in it. This program has been adopted very successfully by many societies in Delhi and other cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Jaipur, Chennai etc.
STRICT LAWS
We would like to bring to your notice that catching and removing street dogs, or harming, killing them is in violation of the judgment of the Delhi High Court given on 16 December, 1992 in Smt. Maneka Gandhi vs. MCD/NDMC Suit No. 1246/92. The court has said that street dogs are a part of the city and just being classed as a stray dog does not mean it should be killed. The court had accepted that sterilization and vaccination of dogs is the only scientific and humane solution of the so-called problem of street dogs and directed the MCD / NDMC to follow the same.
The court had observed that ‘It needs no great learning to appreciate that dogs or animals are not encroachers on earth and there is no question of eliminating them….it is the duty of every citizen to have compassion to animals including dogs…. All state functionaries such as MCD/NDMC cannot ignore this obligation’.
Harming, killing or subjecting any animal to pain and suffering is an offence under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA act), 1960, and Sections 428 and 429 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The punishment for these crimes includes a fine and an imprisonment of upto 5 years or both.
We would like you to please inform the residents of your area regarding the sterilization and vaccination program, the laws, the Delhi Court judgment on dogs and also MCD’s commitment in this regard. Please request the residents not to indulge in activities violating the Court judgment and the laws (PCA Act and IPC) and help the MCD, NGOs and individuals engaged in the sterilization and vaccination of dogs of the colony. This is the only way that will create a safe and healthy environment for both humans and animals.
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