Animals have the right of way” – prominently written in bold letters on a rock, somewhere near the Ghats, on Goa’s border, had attracted my attention, many decades back. At that time, I found it strange that animals could have priority over humans, but later realised how important wild life protection was that such caution was imperative to warn drivers not to kill or injure wild animals crossing the road.
Accidents and poaching had resulted in near extinction of some species, which are the wealth of the nation. Never did I imagine, however, that at any point in time, a country that can ill afford to feed millions of hungry stomachs would pay more attention to animal welfare than to issues concerning the life and health of humans. Today, there would be more outrage in someone hitting a dog than a poor pickpocket being inhumanly beaten with kicks and blows on our streets. The Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi pays more attention to animal issues than to the health and nutritional problems of women and children and to providing our villages with midwives and doctors so that our children do not die of hunger and disease, with statistics running into millions of deaths before they can attain the age of five.
The largely philosophical question whether animals have moral rights that should be recognised and protected by human society is being debated for years. An answer in the affirmative would lead us to assert that if animals have a right to life, it would be wrong to kill them, if they have a right to liberty, it would be unjust to hold them in captivity and if they have a right to happiness and security, it would be unfair to interfere in their natural lives. I am quite sure that no one, not even those who profess their infinite love for animals, would be prepared to concede that much freedom to animals.
Even the ones who opt for vegetarian food mostly do so for health reasons, not out of love for animals. And one question that I have often posed is why the preferential treatment of animal lovers for dogs only, while, in fact, it is other animals, which suffer most cruelty. Surely there aren’t any plausible answers. It has also often been the contention of animal lovers that those who are cruel to animals have also a tendency to domestic violence — a convenient way of thinking, perhaps to suit their own ends. While no one in his proper frame of mind would be cruel to animals in normal circumstances, there could be instances where even the most serene and kind would get easily irritated at the constant barking, particularly at nights, sudden and ferocious attacks on pedestrians and two-wheeler riders and dirtying of footpaths and one’s own compounds by strays.
In Margao, it is difficult to leave the house, early morning, without a stick in hand. Also packs of dogs attack school-going children. On Thursday last, the GMC had a few dogs in its corridors, much less than what I have seen in the past, and at least around 30 heads of cattle outside the gates, with the entire area filled with cow dung. How can one accept such filth and unhealthy surroundings around a prestigious health institution, with poor vendors sitting in the area, selling fruits and vegetables?
It is difficult to assess the number of stray dogs in Goa. But their number could be judged by a report appearing in a newspaper, earlier this year that around 2500 people are bitten by strays, every year in Panjim alone. Animal welfare organisations themselves acknowledge that attempts at reducing stray dog population have failed. I am not inclined to believe their tall claims of having vaccinated or sterilized thousands of dogs. My calls to some of them have almost invariably met with reluctance or indifference. The fact is that stray dog population is assuming dangerous proportions and has already partly affected our tourist inflow. Can we forget that the only death of rabies occurred in a century in UK was the result of a dog bite on a tourist in one of Goa beaches? Have we forgotten that a cow went berserk and attacked people in Valpoi in 2010 and another in Bicholim, last year, after they contracted rabies? The issue of stray dogs, some causing deaths of motorists, others attacking elderly and children and some causing rabies, with poor people ignoring dog bites which could lead them to succumbing to an excruciating and undignified death, have been the concern of many well meaning people who value and respect human life. Unfortunately, neither the Govt. nor the Courts, where Ministers and Judges move in posh cars, away from the threat of dogs, have been sympathetic to this public cause.
If I am not mistaken, only in Kerala a Judge unequivocally stated that human life was more precious than that of animals, whereas elsewhere Judges have shown more concern for animals, accepting empty Government assurances of tackling the menace. It is really unfortunate that crores have been disbursed to animal welfare organisations, without any positive results being shown by them nor any social or performance audits carried out. Consequently crores are also being spent on vaccinations and anti-rabies treatment.
The solution lies in a firm call for accountability and efficiency of money disbursed, failing which alternative sources need to be found for effective reduction of stray population, based on statistics and on spot inspections, which are never carried out to verify suspicious claims.
(The author is a retired banker)
