Aizawl council to distribute slingshots to deter strays, activists fume

Aizawl: In a bid to address the issue of stray dogs in Aizawl, the Khatla South local council has announced plans to distribute slingshots to residents. This measure aims to deter dogs from roaming the streets unattended by their owners.Chairman of the Khatla South local council, PL Liandinga, said the decision was made after previous appeals through public meetings and local publications yielded minimal results. “Dogs, though loveable pets to the owners, can be menacing and dangerous for others while canine faeces dropped along the streets and neighbours’ premises can be unhygienic,” Liandinga said.The council plans to provide slingshots free of charge to residents, encouraging them to use them to keep stray and unattended dogs off the streets.

Liandinga added that while some dog owners responsibly walk their pets and clean up after them, others allow their dogs to roam freely, contributing to the problem.The issue of dog bites has also been a concern, with the Civil Hospital in Aizawl treating 10 dog bite cases over the past three days. Despite advisories and orders from district deputy commissioners prohibiting dogs from roaming freely, incidents continue to occur.

Animal rights activists have expressed strong opposition to the council’s plan. A well-known animal rights activist and singer C Luri criticised the announcement of the Khatla South local council saying owners of the pet dogs should be held accountable not the canines. “Hittng stray dogs or unleashed dogs with catapults is rather an offence under the Prevention of cruelty to Animals Act 1960,” Luri said.She added that dogs sometimes escape from homes and go astray without the knowledge of the owners and they should be treated with kindness and understanding and not attack them with slingshots.“Even stray dogs should be rounded up and kept in shelters set up through funds received from the municipal bodies,” she said.Julie Khiangte, an activist who has adopted numerous dogs and cats, emphasized the importance of responsible pet ownership. “If we let loose our pets, they may get hurt or even be killed as they are animals, not humans,” Khiangte said.The Supreme Court recently modified its directive regarding stray dogs, ruling that they should be caught, vaccinated, sterilized, and returned to their neighborhoods, with aggressive or rabid dogs being moved to shelters. This ruling highlights the ongoing debate over how best to manage stray dog populations in urban areas.