NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Just as the Panjim Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has lodged a complaint with the Collector, North Goa, Nila Mohanan, who is also the chairperson of the Society Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) as regards severe crises at the city animal shelter run by PAWS, following transfer of six trained staff members at this shelter by the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), the Corporation has started efforts to move PAWS out of the shelter and replace it with another animal welfare group.
The complaint filed by PAWS before Mohanan states that the animal shelter is running with the help of volunteers since June 24, and in the absence of trained staff the casualties are high. “Without driver at the shelter, the food for dogs could neither be transferred to the shelter nor the injured animals taken to the veterinary hospital at Tonca,” it adds.
The complaint filed by Dr Virupaxa Banakar, trustee/ honorary treasurer of PAWS further maintains that the sudden withdrawal of the animal-care staff from the PAWS by the CCP is contrary to the very spirit of government of India’s Prevention of Cruelty Towards Animals Act, 1960 and is against the very purpose of the SPCA under the Animal Welfare Board of India. “The PAWS has also been designated as the SPCA of North Goa,” it notes, pointing out that the said arbitrary act of the CCP authorities has left the stray animals at the shelter with inadequate care and treatment.
“We request your kind intervention in reinstating appropriate staff immediately to prevent further suffering of the voiceless animals at the shelter,” it concludes.
Incidentally, a dog at the centre had bled away to death earlier this week, due to the absence of the trained staff.
Meanwhile, as per a notification issued by the then Collector, North Goa, Mihir Vardhan, in December 2008, PAWS has been registered under the Societies Registration Act and recognised by Animal Welfare Board of India as a Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). According to the notification, the CCP has no power to change the office bearers of the PAWS, however, as the land on which the city animal shelter is set up as well as the remaining staff members at the shelter belong to the Corporation it can withdraw this staff and ask the PAWS to vacate the premises.
It may be recalled that an altercation between the City Mayor Surendra Furtado and the honorary secretary of PAWS Angela Kazi, last week, over picking up a injured stray dog from near the house of Furtado by PAWS had resulted in the CCP transferring six of the dozen-odd staff members at the animal shelter. This decision had left the stray dogs at the animal shelter, including some recently operated dogs, unattended.