bdnews24.com :
There are allegations that the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has been poisoning dogs after their numbers increased recently.
Locals have reported large numbers of dead dogs at Agrabad’s Muhuri Parha, Rangi Parha, Panwala Parha, Mistiri Parha, Paschim Mistiri Parha and near Lal Masjid.
At least 88 adult dogs were found dead in these areas.
At Ghatfarhadbegh, 15 dogs were found in one dustbin.
They were dying because city corporation workers have been poisoning garbage waste, according to locals.
The city workers killed dogs from Tuesday morning to noon, said Agrabad resident SM Rezaul Karim.
“A few of us approached our local councillor. He told us the dogs were being killed by locals. He hung up the phone when we asked him why CCC workers were culling dogs.”
Ward-28 Councillor Nazmul Haque Duke denied having any knowledge of the culling but most of the dead dogs were found in his area at Agrabad.
“I don’t have any news of dogs dying. I don’t know anything about this.”
Dog culling is a crime punishable under the Bangladesh Wild Life (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012.
A High Court order in 2012 banned dog culling and asked relevant bodies to adopt alternate measures.
Animal welfare association ‘Care for Paws’ has condemned the incident on their Facebook page.
“This is a horrifying situation,” Care for Paws Secretary General Jahid Hassan told bdnews24.com. “The CCC cannot take the lives of animals in this manner. We strongly condemn the incident.”
The High Court had forbidden the culling of dogs, he said.
“How can this happen when the High Court has forbidden it and the government is allocating funds for vaccinations?”
The Care for Paws has announced a demonstration against the culling in front of the Chittagong Press Club on Saturday evening.
No new corpses were reported on Thursday after the matter became widely discussed.
CCC Chief Health Official Dr Selim Akter denied any initiative had been taken by the city corporation to cull dogs.
“We have no idea who is killing these dogs,” he told bdnews24.com.
According to the Bangladesh Wild Life (Conservation and Security) Act passed on Jul 8, 2012, the culling of dogs is punishable by jail terms and fines.
The High Court forbidding dog culling had ordered organisations to take alternative measures.
According to information from the government’s Disease Control Division, approximately 2,000 Bangladeshis are killed by rabies from dog bites every year.
However, dog culling is still not a justifiable solution to the problem, said Chittagong District Livestock Officer Reazul Haque.
Dogs can be vaccinated or captured if the need arises, he said.
“We have heard of the incident,” he told bdnews24.com. “But we have seen no indication of any disease in Chittagong’s dog population that could lead to so many killings.”
“It is true that the number of dogs in the city has increased recently, but this is not a justifiable solution. We must pursue alternative policies, such as vaccination or capture.”
There are allegations that the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has been poisoning dogs after their numbers increased recently.
Locals have reported large numbers of dead dogs at Agrabad’s Muhuri Parha, Rangi Parha, Panwala Parha, Mistiri Parha, Paschim Mistiri Parha and near Lal Masjid.
At least 88 adult dogs were found dead in these areas.
At Ghatfarhadbegh, 15 dogs were found in one dustbin.
They were dying because city corporation workers have been poisoning garbage waste, according to locals.
The city workers killed dogs from Tuesday morning to noon, said Agrabad resident SM Rezaul Karim.
“A few of us approached our local councillor. He told us the dogs were being killed by locals. He hung up the phone when we asked him why CCC workers were culling dogs.”
Ward-28 Councillor Nazmul Haque Duke denied having any knowledge of the culling but most of the dead dogs were found in his area at Agrabad.
“I don’t have any news of dogs dying. I don’t know anything about this.”
Dog culling is a crime punishable under the Bangladesh Wild Life (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012.
A High Court order in 2012 banned dog culling and asked relevant bodies to adopt alternate measures.
Animal welfare association ‘Care for Paws’ has condemned the incident on their Facebook page.
“This is a horrifying situation,” Care for Paws Secretary General Jahid Hassan told bdnews24.com. “The CCC cannot take the lives of animals in this manner. We strongly condemn the incident.”
The High Court had forbidden the culling of dogs, he said.
“How can this happen when the High Court has forbidden it and the government is allocating funds for vaccinations?”
The Care for Paws has announced a demonstration against the culling in front of the Chittagong Press Club on Saturday evening.
No new corpses were reported on Thursday after the matter became widely discussed.
CCC Chief Health Official Dr Selim Akter denied any initiative had been taken by the city corporation to cull dogs.
“We have no idea who is killing these dogs,” he told bdnews24.com.
According to the Bangladesh Wild Life (Conservation and Security) Act passed on Jul 8, 2012, the culling of dogs is punishable by jail terms and fines.
The High Court forbidding dog culling had ordered organisations to take alternative measures.
According to information from the government’s Disease Control Division, approximately 2,000 Bangladeshis are killed by rabies from dog bites every year.
However, dog culling is still not a justifiable solution to the problem, said Chittagong District Livestock Officer Reazul Haque.
Dogs can be vaccinated or captured if the need arises, he said.
“We have heard of the incident,” he told bdnews24.com. “But we have seen no indication of any disease in Chittagong’s dog population that could lead to so many killings.”
“It is true that the number of dogs in the city has increased recently, but this is not a justifiable solution. We must pursue alternative policies, such as vaccination or capture.”
