Animal lovers flay MP Pratap Simha's remark on culling stray dogs

Animal lovers in the city have condemned Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha’s recent statement about culling stray dogs, without compassion, and demanded that he tender an apology and retract his anti-animal statements.

Addressing a press conference in the city on Wednesday, a group of animal lovers said Simha’s statements were in contempt of the Supreme Court order pertaining to the rights of street dogs. “Instead of provocative statements like this that go against the Supreme Court order and mislead the public, he should do something for the welfare of street animals such as initiating mass vaccination and sterilisation programmes,” they said.

Sujaya Jagadish, an animal lover who runs the Save Our Animals Charitable Trust, said that the government must conduct awareness programmes in this regard. She added besides the government’s initiative, public participation is also important.

“The MP needs to apologise for his statements because they may incite a rampage like the merciless culling of community dogs that took place in the city in 2007,” she said.

Speaking at a meeting with the Mysuru City Corporation officials recently, Simha said that the street dog menace could be resolved if the media stops reporting on the issue and lets him “take some action to resolve the problem”.

Citing animal lovers as the reason why action cannot be taken against street dogs, he said they would “realise the problem when dogs bite their children”.