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.