There are 26,900 pet dogs in the city, according to a recent census carried out by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from October 2007 to January 2008. Yet, this city has only 4,204 licensed dogs, states a reply from the BMC to a Right to Information (RTI) query submitted by Newsline.
If the BMC's census figures are to be believed, then Section 191 B of the BMC Act, 1888 is being broken by both the municipal corporation and owners of unlicensed dogs. Interestingly, the BMC is also flouting the Act with respect to licensed dogs by not providing dog tags for the animals.
According to the section, “When the owner or person in-charge has paid the tax leviable on pets, the commissioner shall grant him a licence to keep the dog during the official year for which the tax has been paid, subject however to such conditions as may be specified by the commissioner." The BMC must also provide the owner with a "number ticket, the number of which shall be specified in the licence". Furthermore, the owner of the dog “shall at all times cause the said number ticket to be kept attached to the collar or suspended under the neck of the dog".
Strict penalties are specified for unlicensed, or licensed, dogs without dog tags.
The Act states that any dog which has no number ticket attached "or kept in contravention of any other condition specified in the licence shall be presumed to be a dog in respect of which no licence has been granted" and may be detained by the "police or any officer authorised by the commissioner" till the tax is paid.
Explaining why more than 22,000 pet dogs have not been licensed, G T Ambe, BMC joint executive health officer, said, "Problems like shortage of staff has not helped us function properly. We now aim to license at least 10 dogs per day so that at least 20,000 dogs are licensed in a few years."
On why licensed dogs are not issued dog tags, Jayaraj Thanaker, executive health officer, said, "I really don't know if tokens are to be issued to dog owners and why it has stopped. The joint executive health officer could throw some light on it." Ambe said, "Every licensed dog does have a number recorded in its book. But I don’t know why tags are not issued anymore."
Activists pointed out that properly licensing dogs helps make the city safer for the general public, because only vaccinated dogs can be licensed. Abodh Aras of Welfare of Stray Dogs, said, "In fact, licensing is important for a pet owner as a rabies control measure." He said a country-wide study done a few years ago indicated that unlicensed pets contribute largely to the spread of rabies in the country.
Over the past few months, the BMC, urged by several residents, has attempted to enforce a poop-scooper rule and fine dog owners who don't clean up after their pooch in public. However, with only 4,204 dogs licensed, the BMC would find it difficult to enforce the rule on all 26,900 pet dogs as there is no proof they are pets. The owner of a licensed dog said, "If enforced before proper licensing, poop-scooping would harass the only people who care to follow the law. They should first license all the pet dogs, then enforce the rule."
Recently, mayor Shubha Raul had even said that the BMC was thinking of increasing the annual pet dog licence fee 25-fold.
But some wondered why the BMC would make existing licensed dog owners pay heavy fees without first going after unlicensed pets. Sanam Karunakar, owner of two dogs in Grant Road, said, “It would be ridiculous to charge owners Rs 5,000 annual fee. This will only discourage people from licensing their pets. Unable to pay the price, many may even start abandoning their pets.”
Aras added, "A yearly fee of Rs 100 is not a big deal for most people who keep a dog. But many don't know that their dogs have to be licensed. Also, there are only four dog licensing offices in the entire city, which makes it very cumbersome for dog owners." A door-to-door visit by the BMC officials urging people to license pets on the spot may be the only way to get more dogs licensed, Aras said.
Shirin Merchant, editor of Woof magazine, added, "Besides, what do pet owners get for licencing their dogs? This city doesn't offer any benefits to them." Aras stated that in some localities, like Bandra's Carter Road, there are dog-walking zones. "Such zones should be made at different locations, so dog owners can walk pets freely," he said.
Meanwhile, some even doubted the BMC's census figures. The BMC had announced that in three affluent wards, the population of pet dogs exceeded that of strays. D Ward (Malabar Hill to Pedder Road) recorded 1,507 pets and 1,489 strays; G South (Parel) had 465 pets and 441 strays; and H West (Bandra to Santacruz) had 2,028 pets and 1,815 strays. Incidentally, an official at H West said only 853 dogs were registered there, again showing the laxity in licensing.
Merchant asked, "I wonder how the census was done? Nobody visited my home to count my pets. How many homes did they visit, in which areas and in which order?"
BOX
* The BMC charges Rs 100 for every year of a dog's life for first-time licences. This would mean the owner of a seven-year-old dog pays Rs 700 to get a license and Rs 100 every year after that to keep renewing it.
* In addition, owners must also pay a one-time fee of Rs 150 for the licence book.
* All owners must present proof that dogs have been given shots before licensing.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
A past plagued by deaths, neglect and staff shortage, Byculla zoo looks forward to the makeover
PS: Here's a stroy I'd written for my newspaper one year ago. Never used. still vaild. so those intersted can read it here... (of course since its one year old, it doesn't cover the recent death of Shakti, the hippo death)
· While conservationists world-over are finding ways to save the lion – a vulnerable species, the Byculla zoo lost its only male lion Amar to prolonged disease on October 22, 2007. Amar, a hybrid of African and Asiatic lion – died prematurely at eight, at least 10 years before his time.
· The zoo’s 30-year-old rhinoceros, Shiva – also an endangered species -- has been living a celibate, not to mention frustrated, life for the past 18 years. The reason: the zoo has not managed to find a partner for him yet.
· Many animal enclosures bear no label of the displayed animal or its characteristics.
· Crows swarm the enclosures, harassing inmates and creating a nuisance
Even as it stands in midst of a Rs 434 crore makeover, the 53-acre Jijamata Udyan, Byculla, is a screaming example of neglect and outrage to animal rights today.
One of the oldest zoos in the country, built in 1861, the Jijamata Udyan hardly serves its primary purpose – preservation of species or education to the public. Instead, animals live in sheer stress, often in inadequate cages, teased by visitors and hassled by scavenger birds. And while zoo officials turn a blind eye to the apathy stating that “these animals are all old and been with us for years”, the inmates have obviously not gotten used to their life in confinement yet. They jog around in their enclosures restlessly, stare threateningly at their visitors and search for places to hide in their cages.
“These animals are all hitting old age,” zoo education/public relation officer AL Paranchpe reasons, “the court has ordered that we can’t procure animals till the new zoo comes up. So it’s not fair to blame us for the existing condition.” He points out that the new zoo will follow all the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) guidelines, and provide adequate space and environment to the inmates. “At that time we’ll also be getting a number of new animals here,” he says. The two surviving lionesses – Jimmy (13) and Anita (19) are also extremely old, he reminds.
Quality of life
However, animal activists opine that the quality of life of the animals has remained abysmal over the years. They say that while efforts are being made to give the city a swanky zoo at par with international standards in just two years, the physical and psychological health of the inmates have been a constant victim of neglect. “I have visited the premises through my childhood and it has obviously never been an inspiration to me,” says environmentalist Sanjoy Monga. “To date, the upkeep of the animals has never been up to the mark and there is no point acquiring newer animals unless the authorities have a fool proof plan in place,” he states.
Indeed, the zoo inmates have been plagued by premature deaths and illnesses in the past. The recent death of Amar the lion, at an early age of eight is just one such instance. Amar was brought from the Hyderabad zoo only in 2003, and had been battling kidney dysfunction for nearly four months. The cause of his death was said to be broncho-pneumonia and intestinal infection (both caused due to his kidney disorder.) According to zoo vets, Amar had shown signs of weak kidney for over two years and was being treated for it. The vets now agree that the average age of lions in captivity is between 18-20 years.
Among other shocking tales of neglect are the deaths of 16 deer in February 2006. The deer died when three stray dogs entered their enclosures through gaping holes in the grills, causing a stampede. A day after incident, the then zoo superintendent Dr M V Wani was sacked and the gaps in the enclosure were patched up with wire mesh. A guard who claimed to be present near the enclosure maintained that he did not hear or see a thing.
The saddest story though, is perhaps the death of Guru, a hippo, on June 6, 1998, when he fell into the moat surrounding his enclosure and lay unnoticed for nearly 24 hours.
Now, when asked about deaths, zoo official tactfully enumerate: 41 mammal, 65 birds and 14 reptile deaths in the five years. “That is the normal death rate, considering the animals are also old,” they conclude avoiding to delve into details.
PETA investigations
In October 2004, People for Ethical Treatment to Animals (PETA) had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the unhealthy environment of the Byculla zoo. Subsequently, a committee was appointed to study the problem and suggest solutions. The committee’s recommendations included short-term measures like enriching enclosures and building moats. Sachin Bangera, zoo coordinator of Peta, says, “Despite that, the status of the zoo inmates are pitiful till now.”
He adds, “When we talk about a zoo, we are primarily talking about animals. It is immaterial to build a zoo with all modern attractions for public if the basic upkeep of the animals is not up to the mark.”
A ray of hope
According to R A Rajeev, assistant municipal commissioner (City), BMC, though, animal neglect will soon be a matter of past as the makeover will include a state-of-the-art animal hospital with professional experts and guides.
In just two years, this zoo proposes to be an amusement park of sorts complete with 3D theatres, cafes, car parks, theme parks, an exploration centre and gift shops. The new zoo also proposes to house more than 90 animal species from three continents -- Asia, Africa and Australia. Drawn up by Bangkok-based HKS Designer and Consultant International Co Ltd and US-based landscape designers Portico Group for a whopping Rs 4 crore, the zoo plans to bring to India the concept of ‘open zoo’ – an Utopia where animals roam freely in native jungle-like atmosphere while people watch them from enclosed passageways.
Rajeev says, “We are aware that soon several species from different habitats would be making this zoo their home. We will soon start inviting professional agencies to set up a veterinary hospital in our premises. Once set up, it should be the best hospital in the city.”
Incidentally, way back in 1996, the zoo’s attempt to keep a foreign animal failed miserably. Four kangaroos were brought in from Japan with much fanfare. Three died within a month due to a rare respiratory infection called `pasteurella'. In 1999, the last surviving marsupial died of the same infection. When pointed out, Rajeev has a reply ready. “We don’t plan to bring animals like kangaroos this time. We will only acquire animals that can adapt easily to our environment,” he says.
Staff shortage
Of the issues plaguing the administration, shortage of staff is probably the most significant. Today, the zoo has about 46 animal keepers working in the upkeep of about 200 animals. An official adds, “Weekly offs and leaves considered, we have about 35 working hands usually. These zoo keepers are responsible for all the cages and the enclosures -- cleaning up, feeding and caring for the inmates.” Currently, there are about seven vacancies for animal keepers.
With a minimal entry fee of Rs 5 and Rs 2 for the past 10 years at least, the zoo attracts over 17 lakh visitors every year, official stated. Also, entry is always free for senior citizens and BMC school students, while for other students, Fridays are free.
Rajeev points out, “Almost all the other state zoos in the country are maintained by its wildlife department. Ours is the only zoo managed and financed completely by the city’s municipal corporation. We have to be appreciated for our efforts in maintaining the large premises, its animals and the huge crowd it attracts.” The BMC has allocated Rs 2 crore 30 lakh as the zoo’s maintenance budget this year, which goes towards upkeep and feeding of animals, yearly vaccinations, workers salaries and maintenance of the botanical garden.
Flourishing garden
Noticeably, while the zoo is nothing much to harp about, its botanical garden is among the most well maintained green spot in the city with a wealth of century old trees. It is also a haven for senior citizens and children, who visit the garden regularly for walks, cycling or just to breathe some fresh air. The garden is groomed and watered everyday and is practically a plastic-free zone today. Says BNHS botanist Dr Swapna Prabhu, “The zoo has an amazing treasure of over 200 species of trees including new saplings. Some of the old trees are more than a hundred years old and rare. Indeed, this is the only place in the city where so many exotic trees are present in one spot and should be preserved.”
Agreeing with Prabhu, Monga adds, “In fact, the botanical wealth in the zoo is so amazing that if the authorities can’t maintain its animals, they should just do away with the zoo and instead set up a fabulous botanical garden here. That is certainly the need of the hour.”
BOX
Observations:
Over the past one week Newsline visited the Byculla zoo several times and made some observations:
a) The watering holes for hippopotamus looked unclean, though zoo vets stated that they are cleaned twice a week. Crows and blackbirds harassed the hippos incessantly.
b) The elephants were constantly chained in their cells. With the pachyderms tied up almost all the time, their large enclosure has now almost turned into a wasteland.
c) An albino jungle crow (white crow born of genetic regression) languished alone in a triangular cage. Said to be a ‘rescued bird’, the crow’s sole area of flight is from one end of the narrow cage to the other.
d) Feed left in the hyena enclosure attracted crows. The obviously stressed hyenas had to fight to retrieve its morsel from the scavenger birds.
Pointing to the plight of the hyena, a Peta activist says, “The carnivorous animals are nocturnal by habit and have to be fed after dusk. But time and again, the zoo keeps feeding the animals before sunset. The result: crows swarm the mammals' cages, not allowing them to eat in peace.”
Finally, who can forget Shiva the rhino who became an unwitting victim of a political issue when his ticket to the Ranchi zoo, where a mate awaited him, was unceremoniously cancelled due to pressure from a local MLA. The politician’s contention: Mumbai cant’ afford to lose its only rhino. Today, Shiva still waits on patiently, as zoo officials search for a willing female rhino to transport to Mumbai.
· While conservationists world-over are finding ways to save the lion – a vulnerable species, the Byculla zoo lost its only male lion Amar to prolonged disease on October 22, 2007. Amar, a hybrid of African and Asiatic lion – died prematurely at eight, at least 10 years before his time.
· The zoo’s 30-year-old rhinoceros, Shiva – also an endangered species -- has been living a celibate, not to mention frustrated, life for the past 18 years. The reason: the zoo has not managed to find a partner for him yet.
· Many animal enclosures bear no label of the displayed animal or its characteristics.
· Crows swarm the enclosures, harassing inmates and creating a nuisance
Even as it stands in midst of a Rs 434 crore makeover, the 53-acre Jijamata Udyan, Byculla, is a screaming example of neglect and outrage to animal rights today.
One of the oldest zoos in the country, built in 1861, the Jijamata Udyan hardly serves its primary purpose – preservation of species or education to the public. Instead, animals live in sheer stress, often in inadequate cages, teased by visitors and hassled by scavenger birds. And while zoo officials turn a blind eye to the apathy stating that “these animals are all old and been with us for years”, the inmates have obviously not gotten used to their life in confinement yet. They jog around in their enclosures restlessly, stare threateningly at their visitors and search for places to hide in their cages.
“These animals are all hitting old age,” zoo education/public relation officer AL Paranchpe reasons, “the court has ordered that we can’t procure animals till the new zoo comes up. So it’s not fair to blame us for the existing condition.” He points out that the new zoo will follow all the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) guidelines, and provide adequate space and environment to the inmates. “At that time we’ll also be getting a number of new animals here,” he says. The two surviving lionesses – Jimmy (13) and Anita (19) are also extremely old, he reminds.
Quality of life
However, animal activists opine that the quality of life of the animals has remained abysmal over the years. They say that while efforts are being made to give the city a swanky zoo at par with international standards in just two years, the physical and psychological health of the inmates have been a constant victim of neglect. “I have visited the premises through my childhood and it has obviously never been an inspiration to me,” says environmentalist Sanjoy Monga. “To date, the upkeep of the animals has never been up to the mark and there is no point acquiring newer animals unless the authorities have a fool proof plan in place,” he states.
Indeed, the zoo inmates have been plagued by premature deaths and illnesses in the past. The recent death of Amar the lion, at an early age of eight is just one such instance. Amar was brought from the Hyderabad zoo only in 2003, and had been battling kidney dysfunction for nearly four months. The cause of his death was said to be broncho-pneumonia and intestinal infection (both caused due to his kidney disorder.) According to zoo vets, Amar had shown signs of weak kidney for over two years and was being treated for it. The vets now agree that the average age of lions in captivity is between 18-20 years.
Among other shocking tales of neglect are the deaths of 16 deer in February 2006. The deer died when three stray dogs entered their enclosures through gaping holes in the grills, causing a stampede. A day after incident, the then zoo superintendent Dr M V Wani was sacked and the gaps in the enclosure were patched up with wire mesh. A guard who claimed to be present near the enclosure maintained that he did not hear or see a thing.
The saddest story though, is perhaps the death of Guru, a hippo, on June 6, 1998, when he fell into the moat surrounding his enclosure and lay unnoticed for nearly 24 hours.
Now, when asked about deaths, zoo official tactfully enumerate: 41 mammal, 65 birds and 14 reptile deaths in the five years. “That is the normal death rate, considering the animals are also old,” they conclude avoiding to delve into details.
PETA investigations
In October 2004, People for Ethical Treatment to Animals (PETA) had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the unhealthy environment of the Byculla zoo. Subsequently, a committee was appointed to study the problem and suggest solutions. The committee’s recommendations included short-term measures like enriching enclosures and building moats. Sachin Bangera, zoo coordinator of Peta, says, “Despite that, the status of the zoo inmates are pitiful till now.”
He adds, “When we talk about a zoo, we are primarily talking about animals. It is immaterial to build a zoo with all modern attractions for public if the basic upkeep of the animals is not up to the mark.”
A ray of hope
According to R A Rajeev, assistant municipal commissioner (City), BMC, though, animal neglect will soon be a matter of past as the makeover will include a state-of-the-art animal hospital with professional experts and guides.
In just two years, this zoo proposes to be an amusement park of sorts complete with 3D theatres, cafes, car parks, theme parks, an exploration centre and gift shops. The new zoo also proposes to house more than 90 animal species from three continents -- Asia, Africa and Australia. Drawn up by Bangkok-based HKS Designer and Consultant International Co Ltd and US-based landscape designers Portico Group for a whopping Rs 4 crore, the zoo plans to bring to India the concept of ‘open zoo’ – an Utopia where animals roam freely in native jungle-like atmosphere while people watch them from enclosed passageways.
Rajeev says, “We are aware that soon several species from different habitats would be making this zoo their home. We will soon start inviting professional agencies to set up a veterinary hospital in our premises. Once set up, it should be the best hospital in the city.”
Incidentally, way back in 1996, the zoo’s attempt to keep a foreign animal failed miserably. Four kangaroos were brought in from Japan with much fanfare. Three died within a month due to a rare respiratory infection called `pasteurella'. In 1999, the last surviving marsupial died of the same infection. When pointed out, Rajeev has a reply ready. “We don’t plan to bring animals like kangaroos this time. We will only acquire animals that can adapt easily to our environment,” he says.
Staff shortage
Of the issues plaguing the administration, shortage of staff is probably the most significant. Today, the zoo has about 46 animal keepers working in the upkeep of about 200 animals. An official adds, “Weekly offs and leaves considered, we have about 35 working hands usually. These zoo keepers are responsible for all the cages and the enclosures -- cleaning up, feeding and caring for the inmates.” Currently, there are about seven vacancies for animal keepers.
With a minimal entry fee of Rs 5 and Rs 2 for the past 10 years at least, the zoo attracts over 17 lakh visitors every year, official stated. Also, entry is always free for senior citizens and BMC school students, while for other students, Fridays are free.
Rajeev points out, “Almost all the other state zoos in the country are maintained by its wildlife department. Ours is the only zoo managed and financed completely by the city’s municipal corporation. We have to be appreciated for our efforts in maintaining the large premises, its animals and the huge crowd it attracts.” The BMC has allocated Rs 2 crore 30 lakh as the zoo’s maintenance budget this year, which goes towards upkeep and feeding of animals, yearly vaccinations, workers salaries and maintenance of the botanical garden.
Flourishing garden
Noticeably, while the zoo is nothing much to harp about, its botanical garden is among the most well maintained green spot in the city with a wealth of century old trees. It is also a haven for senior citizens and children, who visit the garden regularly for walks, cycling or just to breathe some fresh air. The garden is groomed and watered everyday and is practically a plastic-free zone today. Says BNHS botanist Dr Swapna Prabhu, “The zoo has an amazing treasure of over 200 species of trees including new saplings. Some of the old trees are more than a hundred years old and rare. Indeed, this is the only place in the city where so many exotic trees are present in one spot and should be preserved.”
Agreeing with Prabhu, Monga adds, “In fact, the botanical wealth in the zoo is so amazing that if the authorities can’t maintain its animals, they should just do away with the zoo and instead set up a fabulous botanical garden here. That is certainly the need of the hour.”
BOX
Observations:
Over the past one week Newsline visited the Byculla zoo several times and made some observations:
a) The watering holes for hippopotamus looked unclean, though zoo vets stated that they are cleaned twice a week. Crows and blackbirds harassed the hippos incessantly.
b) The elephants were constantly chained in their cells. With the pachyderms tied up almost all the time, their large enclosure has now almost turned into a wasteland.
c) An albino jungle crow (white crow born of genetic regression) languished alone in a triangular cage. Said to be a ‘rescued bird’, the crow’s sole area of flight is from one end of the narrow cage to the other.
d) Feed left in the hyena enclosure attracted crows. The obviously stressed hyenas had to fight to retrieve its morsel from the scavenger birds.
Pointing to the plight of the hyena, a Peta activist says, “The carnivorous animals are nocturnal by habit and have to be fed after dusk. But time and again, the zoo keeps feeding the animals before sunset. The result: crows swarm the mammals' cages, not allowing them to eat in peace.”
Finally, who can forget Shiva the rhino who became an unwitting victim of a political issue when his ticket to the Ranchi zoo, where a mate awaited him, was unceremoniously cancelled due to pressure from a local MLA. The politician’s contention: Mumbai cant’ afford to lose its only rhino. Today, Shiva still waits on patiently, as zoo officials search for a willing female rhino to transport to Mumbai.
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