Pune: The civic body’s initiative to round up community dogs along the route of the cycle rally has ignited fierce opposition from animal welfare activists. The drive, which continued through the event’s final day on Friday, has been described by volunteers as a “cruel and illegal” exercise that violates established animal welfare norms. Volunteers alleged that dogs were chased through heavy traffic during peak daytime heat before being confined in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s dog-catching vans for up to 12 hours. In several instances, the animals were reportedly transported to facilities such as Canine Control and Care (CCC) or the Blue Cross for temporary holding. Under Indian animal welfare laws, relocating community dogs from their established territories is strictly prohibited, as it causes severe physiological distress and disrupts the local ecological balance. Manjiree Patawarrdhan, a community dog caregiver, highlighted the lack of coordination during the drive. “Several dogs were kept in captivity for up to 12 hours due to poor planning. Catchers are lifting dogs across large areas without proper geo-tagging or support from local volunteers, making accurate identification and timely release nearly impossible. We estimate that over 100 dogs may have been picked up over the past few days. Even temporary removal causes severe distress; animals do not understand being moved to ‘safe’ places—this effectively amounts to illegal relocation,” she said. The drive also reportedly targeted vulnerable and non-reactive animals. Bhagyendra Chudasama, an animal welfare volunteer who monitored the drive, witnessed the plight of a senior dog. “On the first day, a 15-to-16-year-old dog on F.C. Road was unnecessarily caught despite being completely calm. By Friday, a PMC van was carrying 12 dogs who were confined until 8 pm without food or water. Shockingly, the staff themselves were unclear about exactly where each dog had been picked up. This lack of accountability is inhumane and a clear violation of animal welfare norms,” Chudasama said. PMC officials, however, maintained that the action was a necessary safety measure. A senior official defended the drive, stating it was conducted under the district collector’s orders to ensure the safety of participants during the high-speed rally. “The objective is to ensure that neither the dogs nor the cyclists are injured during the event. The dogs are released after a few hours. Until then, they are housed in PMC vans or at designated facilities like Blue Cross or CCC,” the official stated. Despite these justifications, activists are calling for stricter adherence to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, arguing that public events should not come at the cost of animal rights.
