Adopt Stray Dogs In Shimla For Zero Garbage Collection Fee And More!

In a bid to tackle the stray dog population of Shimla, people who adopt these furry friends will now be exempted from garbage collection fee; and rewarded with a free parking spot. By Bayar Jain

 

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The mountains in India, particularly Shimla, has been subject to overpopulation for some time now. Tourists, and locals aside, stray dogs have also been increasing in the summer capital of Himachal Pradesh. In an attempt to tackle this stray canine population, the Shimla Municipal Corporation (MC) has launched a Street Dog Adoption and Management Programme. Under this initiative, people who adopt stray dogs will be exempt from paying a garbage collection fee – a door-to-door mechanism of collecting waste that is followed in the city. Additionally, people will also be rewarded with free parking spots in their respective wards as well.

However, merely adopting the furry friends will not suffice. Under the initiative, anyone who fails to feed and care for their adopted dogs will be penalised with INR 10,000.

 

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As per reports, MC Commissioner Pankaj Rai got inspired for this novel initiative by Michigan Humane Society. This non-profit organisation offers dogs, cats, rabbits and other animals for adoption as pets in Detroit, while also offering veterinary and other animal welfare services. Bringing this idea to domestic borders, MC also offers free sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination of adopted dogs, apart from the other rewards.

Earlier in September 2009, a division bench of the high court had stated that the MC is duty-bound to free the city of stray dogs, and added that it was their statutory duty to provide them with kennels and shelters. In 2013, the court had asked MC to get rid of the dogs within three months, however, no resolution had been found for it yet. A shortage of dog pounds and shelter homes led to the proposition of this initiative.

As per MC, around 2,000-2,500 dogs are estimated to be within the municipal limits of Shimla. A major reason for this could be attributed to the fact that officials believe these strays breed twice a year and have an average litter size of five to eight every season. Large numbers aside, another major cause of worry in the popular tourist destination is that approximately 60 cases of dog bites are reported every month.

Related: Bhutan Urges Its People To Adopt Stray Dogs And Plant Trees For King’s Birthday

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