Mumbai: A team of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s veterinary department has been running hither and thither to find two stray dogs in the Gundavali area of Andheri (E) after it dislocated them from their place of living. As animal activists reached the police, the veterinary team has been looking for the missing dogs which were earlier picked up by them for sterilisation.

On January 24, The Free Press Journal had reported about an animal welfare activist’s allegations against the BMC’s veterinary department regarding relocation of stray dogs after they are picked up from their place of living for purpose of sterilisation.

However, on the same day, a team from BMC’s Deonar abattoir allegedly picked up two stray dogs from TCS Banyan Park campus in Gundavali and claimed that the dogs will be dropped at the same place once they were vaccinated and neutered. However, an animal feeder in the campus has alleged that the dogs Joey and Yellow were never returned to the original place they were picked up from.

The complainant, who requested anonymity, claimed that he went to the Deonar abattoir to check on the dogs where the staff informed that the dogs are fit and would be released at the exact location where they were picked up from. However, the veterinary van claimed that it had dropped the dogs outside the TCS campus since they were not allowed to enter the campus.

After the dogs have went missing from their original place, animal activists from Pure Animal Lovers (PAL) Foundation have reached MIDC police complaining about illegal relocation of the dogs. Sources have told The Free Press Journal that the veterinary team has been looking for the strays for the last six days to get into a legal trouble.

Notably, relocating community animals without authorisation or documented paperwork is an offence under Section 11(1)(a) and Section 11(1)(i) of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.

The animal activists had reached out to the MIDC police station demanding the police to book the veterinary team. However, no first information report (FIR) has been filed in the matter.

Roshan Pathak, animal rights advisor at PAL Foundation, said, “The unlawful relocation of these dogs constitutes a clear violation of their rights and well-being. I had earlier asked the officials at Deonar abattoir to follow government constituted guidelines when they had come without any documentation to pick up stray dogs from Cooper Hospital earlier this month. This is a repetitive violation by the officials who are actually meant to ensure that animals are treated with utmost care and respect.”

The Free Press Journal contacted Kalimpasha Pathan, the head of Deonar abattoir who refused to comment, whereas Dr. Sachin Kulkarni did not reply to the calls or messages.