http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/21/stories/2010102160730300.htm
TAMBARAM: As many as 56 stray dogs were killed in Mowlivakkam village panchayat, a western suburb near Poonamallee in the past two days.
According to members of Blue Cross of India, they received a call from residents of Mowlivakkam that stray dogs and puppies were being rounded-up and killed by administering lethal injections since Tuesday evening.
Dawn Williams, Residential General Manager, Blue Cross, Chennai, said he visited Mowlivakkam around 9 a.m. on Wednesday and noticed a tractor trailer filled with carcasses of stray dogs. There were 34 carcasses, including 11 pups. The tractor trailer was operated by the village panchayat to collect and dispose garbage as part of its solid waste management project.
Personnel at Mangadu police station, where a case was registered following a complaint from Mr. Williams, told The Hindu that enquiries revealed that the village panchayat's conservancy staff had acted on oral instructions from elected representatives. A total of 22 dogs and pups were killed on Tuesday.
While none has yet been named as accused, police said they were conducting further investigations. The carcasses were sent to Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Vepery, for post-mortem.
A ‘grama sabha' (village council) meeting of the panchayat was held on October 2 where the elected representatives promised to look into complaints of residents about the problems caused by stray dogs moving around in packs.
Mr. Williams said the animals were captured in a crude manner using rings made from steel strings attached to wooden poles. Once captured, the lethal injections were administered to them and the carcasses were loaded to the vehicle to be taken for mass burial. This practice was a blatant violation of Supreme Court guidelines and punishable under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and also under Indian Penal Code, he said.
