Pets Go Missing: Is Delhi-NCR Grappling to Fight Dog Meat Trade?

The rampant robbing of pet dogs has taken a new turn with claims of dogs being butchered for their meat. According to a recent Times of India report  illegal breeding of pedigree dogs and market for dog meat in Delhi and Gurgaon is thriving. This contentious revelation paints a very gruesome picture of our very own capital city and its neighboring areas that boast of a progressive and tolerant society.

Top Image Credit- Hindustan Times

Mr. Amit Chaudhery president of People for Animals (PFA), Gurgaon, in a conversation with TOI stated that the demand for dog meat is propelled by low income groups unable to afford expensive meat variations and East Asians residing in the city.
Clearly these poor dogs face a dual threat from being a victim of dog breeding racket to being slaughtered to serve cruel palates.

A resident of DLF phase 2, Gurgaon, sought help from the local police as well as the Gurugram division of PFA to locate her missing pooch, Brownie, last month. Soon the search gave way to a shocking testimony by the natives of Sikanderpur Ghosi village that the same dog had been eaten by a few men in the neighborhood.

A resident of DLF phase 2, Gurgaon, sought help from the local police as well as the Gurugram division of PFA to locate her missing pooch, Brownie, last month. Soon the search gave way to a shocking testimony by the natives of Sikanderpur Ghosi village that the same dog had been eaten by a few men in the neighborhood.

Mr. Vipul Agrahari, animal activist based in Gurgaon, has shed light on the low cost (Rs 40-50) and  easy availability of Dog meat in areas like Nathupur, DLF Phase-3 (U-Block), Palam,  and Janak Puri. He also added that illegal slaughter houses have mushroomed and how Nathupur is devoid of stray dogs due to killing for meat. Further, he has claimed that it is not just the strays but also stolen pets that are brought to these illegitimate butcher shops. Dogs like Golden retrievers and Labradors are friendly and therefore easy targets.
Often people like drivers and domestic helps working in decent residential colonies are behind robbing expensive pure-bred dogs and selling it to illegal breeders and slaughterhouses. These criminal breeders too abandon the dog once it crosses its breeding age to be killed for meat.
The story of Coco, a female beagle that was apparently robbed from outside her home in Pusa Road, central Delhi featured in a Hidustan Times report this month on the blazing issue. The CCTV footage caught a mysterious man pushing the dog into a car and fleeing away. It is believed that this man was part of a gang that steals and traffics in pet dogs. In January this year a retired air force wing commander was not only attacked but also robbed off his dog while walking the nine year old golden Labrador retriever.
Pet Owners and Animal Lovers Beware
Animal activist Sonya Ghosh recently talked to Hindustan Times (HT) about how she has herself seen costly pedigree dogs in the slums of Trilokpuri and Rangpuri Pahari. In her conversation she added witnessing a Neapolitan Mastiff in Trilokpuri slum that costs about one lac rupees. She further corroborated that these are stolen dogs hidden in slum areas for purpose of breeding. Many other activists too support such facts claiming that areas such as Nizamuddin, Shadipur, Rangpuri Pahari, Sangam Vihar and Trilokpuri house puppy mills involved in illegal breeding and cruel practices. The dogs are kept in cramped cages under absence of hygiene, veterinary care and subjected to ill-treatment. As per research, these centers aren’t even registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India as ordered by the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001. Sonya Ghosh also feels the police haven’t acted appropriately to deal and punish illegal breeders in spite of being alerted promptly.

Geeta Seshamani, Vice President of Friendicoes (an Animal Welfare organization based in Delhi), has expressed her concern over rising cases of theft and kidnapping of dogs and believes that the reason behind this is illegal breeding, buying and selling, as told to HT. She concluded her conversation with a brilliant solution involving the use of a microchip-based ID card for every dog and a centralized data registry. This will not only help in maintaining records of sale and purchase of dogs but also prevent thefts and help track missing pets.

News Resource:
India Times and Times of India Daily
Hindustan Times Daily.