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Please get as many people as possible, to write protest mails to Anjani Kr. (Copies can be marked to the Secy, and Jt Secy). The e-mail addresses are set out below :
Anjani Kumar, Director of Animal Welfare, Ministry of Environment & Forests :- Secretary in the Ministry of Environment & Forests :- Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Environment & Forests :- Rgds Anjali EMAIL :
9th August, 2009
To The Director Copies to : The Secretary Dear Sir, We have learnt, to our utter consternation, that in accordance with instructions issued by you, the sterilized, vaccinated community dogs residing within the National Institute of ‘Animal Welfare’ at Ballabhgarh have been ‘thrown out’ ! They have been dislocated and driven away from the territory they inhabited for years, even though the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules do not permit displacement of sterilized, immunized dogs. That is to say, a contravention of law has occured at the instance of the man at the helm of the animal welfare division in the Ministry of Environment & Forests ! We are a large group of citizens and animal welfare activists spread out all over the country, that does not want to believe something so utterly farcical, i.e., that the ‘Director of the Animal Welfare Division’ of the MOEF, can také such an anti-animal step, which is contrary to law as well ! Your personal convictions and dislikes notwithstanding Sir, as a government servant, how can you afford to contravene the law of the land? In fact, as Director of the A.W.D. of the M.O.E.F., you ought to be ensuring that the law that we are referring to — the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules — is implemented everywhere. Please therefore revoke your instructions, issued to the security staff, immediately, so that the dogs that we are referring to, can come back into their habitat. Needless to state, we shall be monitoring progress, and shall not hesitate to také this further, to the press, or to any other appropriate forum, if the needful is not done. Thanking you in anticipation, A. Ablash *************************************** INVITATION TO A WORKSHOP The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO) and Humane Society International (HSI) are conducting a workshop on the welfare of animals used as food and fiber in India. The workshop is a unique opportunity for animal advocates to learn more about issues affecting the billions of animals that are raised (and slaughtered) for food and fiber in our country. The food and fiber sector abuses more animals than any other animal-based industry – most of this abuse is invisible and lifelong. With changing lifestyles there is increased demand for animal products. This is progressively changing the nature of animal agriculture towards industrial production, which is far more exploitative for animals, harmful for the environment and inequitable for poor communities. The workshop will explore different aspects of the farmed animal industry in India, and discuss current animal protection campaigns targeting this cruelty. It will also identify actions that organizations/individuals involved in animal protection can take to improve the lives of food animals, and discuss ways in which we can support each other in our efforts. A similar workshop was held in Mumbai in March. We received positive feedback from those who attended — participants appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the conditions of farmed animals, and to explore means of mobilizing around farmed animal issues. Building on this success, we have decided to hold a second workshop in Bangalore, to accommodate those who were unable to come to Mumbai. This workshop will also have a skills-building component that will take place on the following day; Day 2’s sessions will be hosted by a PR professional who will discuss ways of building public awareness and consumer education programs. It is hoped that these workshops will be a first small step towards building a stronger animal protection movement in the area of farm animal welfare. DATE: 29-30 August 2009 TIME: 9am – 5pm (both days) VENUE: First Floor Training Room There is space for 30 participants that is available on first come/first served basis upon remittance of a nominal registration fee of Rs. 300. Lunch and refreshments will be provided by the organizers. Travel expenses will not be provided. Registration fees may be reduced, based on financial need. These decisions will be made on an individual basis. Please contact Chetana at cmirle@hsi.org if you need assistance meeting the Rs. 300 fee. REGISTRATION To submit the registration fee of Rs. 300/participant, send cheques payable to “Blue Cross of India” to the following address: DAY 1: Registration (8:30-9:00) Break Session 2: What is being done worldwide as well as India · Discussion on Case study 1
Session 3: Changing Lifestyles : Adopting Veganism towards reducing consumption of animal products
Break Session 4: Opportunities to improve the welfare of animals raised for food & fiber DAY 2: Public Awareness and Consumer Outreach (presented by a Public Relations professional) *************************************
Source: http://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/01/09/stories/2005010900860800.htm ************************************* Canine watch S. THEODORE BASKARAN I SET my eyes on them for the first time at the Dindigul Railway station in Tamil Nadu many years ago. The two dogs lay curled on the floor. Improvised fibre rope leashes were around their necks and the owner, who was sitting on his haunches, dragging at a beedi with great determination, held the other ends. They were Rajapalayam dogs, he told me, and were on their way to the Anamalais for guard duty on the plantations. He drew my attention to the many scars on their pale white coats and said that they had tackled wild boars in the hills near Srivilliputtur. Indigenous breeds
The subcontinent is home to a number of indigenous breeds of dogs. The bio-diversity of this part of the world is seen in other domestic animals too. Traditionally, dogs in India were treated like other work animals and so, not given any special attention. It was only after the arrival of the British that dog breeding became fashionable among the Indian upper class, as did golf and shikhar. Notice that even today in our homes, dogs are given English names. Most Indians began to prefer western breeds such as the Alsatian and the Spaniel and indigenous breeds became marginalised. Conrad Lorenz, Nobel-prize winning ethologist, points out in his bookThe Man Meets Dog that it was possibly in India, in the Mesolithic period, that the dog was first domesticated. The Indian wolf is said to be the ancestor of the domestic dog. Some prehistoric rock paintings discovered recently in Tamil Nadu depict men hunting with dogs. The varied geographical regions of India, have, through a long process of evolution, produced dog breeds to suit the landscape and climate. So we have the longhaired mastiff and the short-coated Mudhol to name a few. Like the European breeds, Indian breeds also acquired geographical names such as the Rampur hound and the Kombai. The Rampur hound is probably the most well known Indian breed and one of the earliest to be recognised for shows. These are the dogs we see in Moghul miniatures, accompanying nobles while out on a hunt. These dogs are originally from Rohilkhand, a small kingdom in Uttar Pradesh. Common characteristics
For Indian dogs, there are certain common characteristics. Most of them are outdoor dogs, with rare exceptions like the Tibetan Spaniel, and are oriented towards speed and action. As the emphasis was not in making them show pieces, the practice of docking (cutting the tail) was unknown. None of these breeds was trained as gun dogs, though they have been used for hunting ever since they were domesticated. Except for kings and nobles who indulged in hunting, the upper castes shunned dogs. It is only with the arrival of the British that the upper castes took to dog breeding. The unique nature of Indian breeds, particularly the Himalayan dogs, drew the attention of early British dog-fanciers and they gave European names to these breeds — the Himalayan Sheep dog, the Himalayan or Tibetan mastiff, the Tibetan terrier and the Tibetan spaniel. The last two breeds were taken to England and have stabilised there. The Himalayan Sheep dog was recently in the news. It is running errands for Indian soldiers in the Siachen area. The Lhasa Apso, another Himalayan breed, is also popular in England where it is known as the Talisman dog. The Himalayan mastiff is a much bigger dog, a loveable-looking animal on the lines of the Great Pyrenees. The massive head and ruff are distinctive. Dogs from Tamil Nadu
The other “celebrities” from Tamil Nadu are the Kombai and the Rajapalayam. The Kombai, named after a town near Madurai, is like the Bull terrier in temperament. It is mostly tan in colour. These dogs were used for hunting and keeping watch. The army of the Marudhu brothers defended their fort at Kalayarkoil with the Kombai against the East India Company. The Rajapalayam, an all white dog has a distinct pink nose. The Poligars used this breed during the Carnatic wars to fight the British. The dogs were trained to bite the hamstring of horses and disable them, and played havoc with the British cavalry. Probably the rarest breed of South India is the Kanni, which means maiden. The story is that the Kanni was often given away as part of dowry, the idea being not to let the dog go out of the family. It is an all black dog, like the Doberman, with two yellow spots above the eyes. In all my wanderings looking for indigenous breeds of dogs, I have seen only two specimens, both near Pollachi, Tamil Nadu. Recently in Maharashtra, another ancient breed has been noted. In the Mhalungi village of Latur district, farmers are rearing a breed called Pashmi. This breed was inducted into the police force. As the standards of these breeds have not been set, there is a lot of debate about the distinct nature of certain breeds. For instance, some argue that the Caravan hound and the Pashmi are mere variations of the Mudhol. Characteristics `diluted’
That most of the indigenous breeds have been neglected is a sad commentary on our concern for India’s canine heritage. Among popular indigenous breeds such as the Rampur and the Mudhol hounds, the male pups are fancied, leaving only a few males to breed. This has led to inbreeding and eventual degeneration. The characteristics of many breeds too have been diluted beyond recognition. The decline of hunting and the emphasis on wildlife conservation is another reason for the neglect of these breeds. The traditional work done by these dogs, like guarding has become redundant due to modernisation. Himalayan breeds such as the Mastiff, the Lhasa Apso and the Tibetan terrier are safe in Europe and America. In China and Japan, which have a long canine history, native breeds are taken care of. The Akita-ten is looked upon as a national heritage in Japan. The Pug, the dimunitive breed from China that was noticed by the outside world only in 1860, is now popular all over the world. (In India, it used to appear in the media advertisements of a well known cellular phone service provider) But in India, after 1947, nobody has thought of its canine heritage. There have only been sporadic attempts, both individual and institutional. In 1979, the North-Eastern Kennel Club was started in Shillong mainly to stabilise the Himalayan breeds. In 1981, a dog breeding unit was started in Chennai to breed the Rajapalayam, the Kombai and the Rampur hounds. A revival?
The Kennel of Club of India (www.thekci.org) in Chennai has taken up the cause of the Rajapalayam breeds and is setting up a breeding centre on the East Coast Road. Here the dogs will be bred scientifically, under the supervision of veterinarians. Hopefully, other Indian breeds will be taken care of.
The set of stamps is based on the images shot by the author. ****************************************  Asha at Work CHENNAI: Six-year-old Asha, a community dog, is the star sniffer canine of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security at the Chennai airport. In 2003, when the BDDS authorities wanted to train a mongrel, they received information that a 45-day-old puppy was found near the Tirusoolam railway crossing. It was brought to the BDDS kennel. It was given house training for six months. Then it was taught to obey commands of the handler for nearly a year. This was followed by training in sniffing and identifying explosives. Asha was inducted into the dog squad in 2005. Sharath Srinivas, Deputy Commissioner of the BDDS, said procuring a pedigreed dog, as a compared to a mongrel, is expensive. Asha, unlike the other three canines in the squad, is always comfortable, whenever she is taken out on duty. The mongrel was also instrumental in getting its handler a promotion. When it was inducted into the squad, Sanjay Kumar Razak was working as a kennel cleaner. Now he is a dog handler. |
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