Combined Issue

The Board of India is an umbrella of the SPCAs / AWOs and animal welfare workers. The Board encourages animal welfare activities, Newsletter Vol No. 7 Issue No. 10 Re.1/- RNI No. TNBIL2003/10675 September 2010 - March 2011 advices the Central and State Governments on issues relating to Animal Welfare, particularly the prevention of , and also helps to formulate animal welfare WVS INTERNATIONAL TRAINING policies / legislations. CENTER OPENED MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN Udhagamandalam: The opening of task. commitment to an international training centre of the upgrade the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) G e n e r a l A professional skills at Aruvankadu, near here, marked the K h a r b through continuing observation of the World Rabies Day emphasized the education for its staff are the in the district on Sep. 28, 2010. need to implement hallmarks of a mature participatory ABC organisation, and I am proud to engage the AWBI Inaugurating the facility, the programmes, and in partnering with several organisations, both Chairman, Animal Welfare Board of that civic bodies government and in the NGO sectors, to offer India (AWBI), Major General (Retd) should be a tremendous variety of learning R.M. Kharb, AVSM pointed out that educated and opportunities for those working with animals. rabies in humans and animals is a sensitized to the relationship People generally make the mistake major source of concern particularly of thinking and believing that since they in rural parts of India on account of between street have already received a diploma or a illiteracy, lack of facilities and lack of dog sterilization, certificate their “school days” are over. awareness about dog bite prevention rabies inoculation, Teachers also sometimes hold a mistaken and post-bite precautions. dogs’ territoriality, notion that they are in a significantly and human different position than their students. But Underscoring the need to garbage as food the fact of the matter is that all of us are, or Centre, Dr. Ilona Otter said that in India address the problem, General Kharb source. False notions about stray should be, on a learning spree throughout cruelty to dogs stems from fear of said that though rabies is fatal it is dogs should be dispelled. our lives. Whether formal training or rabies. However ridding the country informal or on-the-job learning, we all need preventable. Pointing out that of the dreaded disease is possible. the fuel for professional growth to remain vaccination of dogs was the key to The Chief Executive, WVS Dr. not only competitive in our fields, but also success, he said that AWBI had Luke Gamble said that the aim of the to remain personally inspired. The Chairman, WVS, India, successfully implemented Animal centre is to train like-minded people Shri Nigel Otter said that mass Birth Control (ABC) programmes and added that the WVS worked with In this Newsletter as also in other vaccination of dogs has been shown among stray dogs in various places over 300 associations in different AWBI publications you can read about the to be the most cost-effective method spectrum of programs and I sincerely hope including Chennai. He estimated that parts of the World. of preventing human rabies cases you will consider attending or sending one with possibly 20 million dogs in India, and is the method of choice in most of your colleagues to upgrade his / her making India rabies free is a huge The Clinical Director of the skills. These training programmes offer of the developed countries. (IPAN)  unique social opportunities as well, enabling participants to meet their counterparts from other fields or organisations to share experiences, ideas, AWBI’S MISSION TO ENFORCE AND and innovations. Many of these relationships result in easier modes of future contact—a quick phone call to compare notes on a difficult veterinary STRENGTHEN THE PCA ACT, 1960 medicine case; a question about handling a particular behavior problem in a dog. New Delhi: From the dawn of civilization animals have contributed immensely to the welfare of humanity. Humanity has used and These can be life-saving information- abused animals to fulfill its need and greed. However, with growing awareness of the —that is, the sensitivity and gathering contacts also and the organized, formal courses provide a framework for complexity of animals as feelingful, unlimited growth, informal and highly AWBI RECONSTITUTED practical pursuit of knowledge and ideas. emotional beings—many nations have GOVT. NOMINATES MAJ.GEN.(RETD.) DR. R.M.KHARB A.V.S.M. enacted animal protection laws which The spirit of learning teaches us to AS CHAIRMAN AND DR. S. CHINNY KRISHNA AS VICE CHAIRMAN oblige people to treat fellow animals with have respect for knowledge and the respect and compassion and protect and appreciation that quantum progress is CHENNAI: The Ministry of Delhi; Dr. Sunil Kumar, preserve . impossible without continuous learning. The Environment & Forests, New Delhi has Dy.Director Incharge Central Research Animal Welfare Board of India is one of reconstituted the Animal Welfare Board The 20 th century saw the India’s progressive institutions in its of India (AWBI) vide Govt. of India Institute, NOIDA; Dr.(Mrs.) M.Lahkar, emergence of an animal welfare recognition of the importance of continuing Notification No.S.O.2882(E) Professor Govt. education, and I look forward in the future to dt.1.12.2010. Maj. General (Retd.) Dr. movement, reaching beyond religious a buffet of opportunities through which each Medical College, R.M. Kharb, A.V.S.M., has been borders into ethics-based philosophical of us can find a course, seminar or workshop Gauhati; Smt. Amala spheres in many parts of the world. which gives us a chance to grow.  nominated as the Chairman and Dr. S. Akkineni, , Chinny Krishna as Vice Chairman of Hyderabad; Smt. Norma Alvares, Indian culture is based in part on the A monthly newsletter of the the AWBI. People for Animals, Goa; Shri Guljari concept of (non- Violence ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA Lal Soni, Fatehpur Rajasthan against all living beings. Formalising this Min. of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India The following Members have Pinjarapole Society, Rajasthan; Mrs. concept as law, Article 51-A(g) of the Published by also been nominated to the Board : Anjali Sharma, SPCA Noida; Shri Constitution of India holds that “It shall ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA Doulat Jain, SPCA Chennai; Dr. rd Director General of Forests, MoEF, the be the fundamental duty of every 13/1, 3 Seaward Road, PO Box : 8672, J.C.Kochar, SPCA Chandigarh; Dr. Valmiki Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai - 600 041 Commissioner, citizen of India to protect and improve Phone: 044-24454935, 24454958 Fax: 044-24454330 Ministry of Agriculture New Delhi, Shri Arun Varma, Ex.ADG, ICAR, NOIDA. E-mail: [email protected]. Websit: www.awbi.org One representative of Municipal the Natural Environment, including Sada Kant, IAS Joint Secretary forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and Ministry of Home Affairs; Shri Corporation of Kolkata, one Editorial Team representative of Municipal to have Compassion for all living A.K.Srivastava, Inspector General of Assistant Secretary : Shri S.Vinod Kumaar Corporation of Gurgaon and one creatures”. India became one of the first Editor of Publications : Shri R.B.Chaudhary Forests (Wildlife) MoEF; Shri Hem representative from HRD Ministry. Assistant Editors : Shri Rajesh Kaushik Pande, IAS, Joint Secretary, MoEF; nations in the world to enact our Smt. Prasanna Narayanan Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in Shri Rajiv Gupta IAS, Govt. of The tenure of the reconstituted Printed by C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre Uttrakhand; Shri Asgar Samoon, IAS, 1960 for the promotion of animal welfare 1, Eldams Road, Alwarpet, Chennai - 600 018. Board is for a period of three years with Phone: 044-24337023/24346526/24359366 Govt. of J & K; Ms.Jasjit Purewal, New effect from 1st Dec. 2010 (AWBI) in general and for the purpose of Fax : 044-24320756 protecting animals from being subjected to unnecessary pain and suffering. Subsequently various rules have been DOG BREEDING IN A added, and amendments are currently SCIENTIFIC WAY: under consideration to strengthen the PCA’s protection of animals against Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. R.M. Kharb, cruelty and abuse. AVSM Ahmedabad: The recent Gujarat police An example of specific rules, is proposal to let police dogs mate pet dogs the section which regulates the use of for free has been criticised by dog lovers animals in sports and entertainment, (for and others. The Animal Welfare Board example, advertisements, films, and of India (AWBI) Chairman Maj. Gen. circuses). The AWBI is the prescribed (Retd.) RM Kharb ,AVSM, held a authority for the performing animals meeting with Director General of Police, registration rules. These laws and rules Gujarat, Shri S S Khandwawala on this are helpful in the AWBI’s mission to ban issue. the so-called “sport” of , which is the lead story in our upcoming Animal Gen. Kharb said that breeding of Citizen magazine. Many specific police dogs should be done in a scientific guidelines from the PCA are available on While Societies for the We must seek ways, together, to way within their own community and not AWBI’s website, www.awbi.org. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have recruit more citizens into the family of with civilian dogs. Police dogs are experts been established in many regions. The animal protectors, so that in this “land of in detecting explosives and carrying out other police operations. These traits are The government has banned the potency of these organisations is ahimsa” our fellow animals no longer genetically passed on to their pups. Mating exhibition and use of five species of strengthened by the fact that the Apex continue to suffer from abuse. with showpiece dogs is not advisable. animals as performing animals, including Court directs all state governments to Such a plan will only compound the stray constitute SPCAs. Sadly, they are often bears, monkeys, tigers, lions and Jallikattu is a primitive “game” dog problem in the city. panthers. dormant entities whose animal introduced in rural areas in the state of protection activities have lapsed. Tamil Nadu as a source of entertainment The Federation of Indian Animal Bullock cart races, horse races, Revitalization of regional SPCA’s is an during the Pongal festival. Long ago, Protection Organisations (FIAPO), a non- dog fights, cock fights, bull fights, important opportunity for animal legend has it that the owners and government umbrella organisation for jallikattu, etc. are either outright illegal protectors to take up and I encourage organizers of the event were not so animal protectors across the country, was or require intensive regulation. The readers to take this challenge. greedy and cruel and they had ensured of the view that such mating will only AWBI is fighting legal battles to ensure that participating animals were not exploit and abuse the dogs for profit that PCA Act and laws to protect animals The AWBI has great regard for subjected to any cruel practice. There motives and compound stray dog are enforced and strengthened. the animal welfare volunteers and was no gambling or betting associated population in the city. Enforcement is sometimes made difficult activists, but they are too few in number with the event. But over a period of time because police are either ignorant of the in many places to intervene in cases of the sport has become violent, and betting Gen. Kharb who had handled two laws, or insensitive to them. animal abuse. has intensified the violence. Several dog units during counter-insurgency practices have besieged the sport operations in the country said that the resulting in severe cruelty to participating police authorities will give due consideration to the proposal weighing in bulls and fatal injuries to the spectators the experts views also on the matter. and participants. FIAPO Chairman, Dr S. Chinny Therefore, AWBI is working to Krishna said in a statement that a ban jallikattu. Through the medium of this significant proportion of dog breeders will press conference the AWBI wants to come forward to make use of this send a message with the help of print and opportunity. Dog breeders are driven electronic media to sensitize the solely by profit motive from the animals community to our obligation of treating that they breed, causing them severe our fellow animals with compassion and hardship in the process. (TOI)  respect and not to abuse them for personal greed. (From General Kharb’s Training Programmes press conference held in Chennai on 10.01.2011: AWBI’s mission to enforce for HAWOs and strengthen the Prevention of Ballabhgarh (Haryana): The Ministry Cruelty to Animals Act)  of Environment and Forests has agreed to conduct training programmes at National Institute of Animal Welfare NGO’s In ACTION AMC SIGNS MOU WITH AWBI (NIAW), Ballabhgarh, so that the Animal Mumbai: SPCA Thane raided a fabrication workshop in Andheri, Welfare Board of India can increase Mumbai, after receiving several requests from some complainants Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) awareness of animal welfare in Mumbai regarding signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Animal Welfare opportunities and upgrade the skills of the pitiful plight of Board of India for its Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme on people working with animals. some animals kept inside the shop. With 1st July, 2010. Noah’s Ark as witness, The following training Thane SPCA filed an Municipal Commissioner, Shri I P Gautam and AWBI programmes were held at National FIR against the Chairman, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Dr. RM Kharb, AVSM signed the Institute of Animal Welfare (NIAW) at owner and seized the MoU for Ballabhgarh, Faridabad: Basic training Star Tortoises kept sterilization and course of Honorary Animal Welfare illegally. The owner vaccination of was remanded to Jail stray dogs in the Officers (18-22 Oct. & 25-29 Oct. 2010 Custody. However, – two batches of 15 HAWOs in each some more animals city. AWBI will still inside the shop bear 50 percent batch); for Honorary Animal Welfare need to be removed. The message has been forwarded to several of the total Officer card holder of AWBI; Skill Mumbai organisations seeking their assistance. e x p e n s e s development Training of Dog Catchers incurred. (November 2010 – two batches of 15 Dog The year ended on a great note. Dear, a baby donkey, with necrosis and dislocation of front leg probably due to street Catchers in each batch) for Dog Catchers accident, was left to die on the road. He was rescued, stabilized M u n i c i p a l from AWOs and Civic bodies engaged in and his leg successfully amputated by Dr. Vikram Dave. Commissioner catching dogs for ABC programmes; Shree I P Orientation training for slaughter house He now awaits a tiny prosthetic foot and a lifetime care at Gautam said, NOAHS ARK. Thane SPCA is thrilled to have tied up with Noah’s “We will begin by conducting a dog census. This will help us personnel (6-10th Dec and 13- 17th Ark, an organization dedicated to getting abandoned animals decide the effort we need to put in to curb the menace.” The December 2010 – two batches); and for adopted and sheltering the ones for lifetime when they are not fit to census was completed, by a US-based organisation, Humane Members of SPCAs / Employees of Civic be adopted. Innumerable dogs and cats have been successfully bodies / Sanitary Inspectors. (AWBI)  adopted through Noah’s Ark in this quarter while donkeys and Society International. The civic authorities have set a target of calves have found permanent homes at the shelter.(AWBI)  two years for visible results in the ABC programme. (AWBI)  WORLD RABIES DAY CELEBRATED IN ASSAM Guwahati (Assam): JBF (Just Be Friendly), organized events for “World Rabies Day and World Animal Day 2010” from 28th September to 4th October 2010. The whole event was a success. This year besides the Free  Health Check-up & Vaccination camp at JBF PET CARE UNIT, JBF Team imparted the concept of animal welfare among the veterinarians, budding vets, children & general public. Nine skits were made on animal welfare themes, to spread the message about animal cruelty, , animals used for entertainment, irresponsible animal keepers etc. “Tengla Ahi Aase” spread the message against sacrificing animals for any purpose, be it religion or superstition. (JBF India)

Animal Welfare Fortnight

New Delhi: Animal Welfare Fortnight, 2011 d. Visit and volunteer at animal shelters. was observed by the Animal Welfare Organizations (AWOs) across the country e. Distribute to police and enforcing from 14 to 31 January, 2011. The aim of Animal authorities literature on animal compassion Welfare Fortnight was to create public and the animal protection laws. awareness about the need for humane treatment of animals to prevent unnecessary f. Distribute earthen bowls in various pain and suffering to them; and to generate a neighborhoods so that people are feeling of love and compassion for speechless encouraged to put food and water for the animals, said Chairman, Animal Welfare Board feeding birds. of India. g. Organise veterinary first aid classes and AWOs and NGOs working for show children what to do when they come Animal Welfare along with Co-opted across an injured animal. We should also Members, Honorary Animal Welfare Officers, organize painting competition of animals in animal activists participated in various ways. schools to raise awareness in very young Literature, publications on animal welfare and children. animal protection laws were distributed during the rally among the general public. h. Plant bird-friendly trees like jamun, neem, shehtoot, bargat, peepal etc. so that birds Gen. Kharb has said that Animal can eat their fruits and nest in. Welfare Fortnight should be observed so that more people are sensitized to join the Animal i. Sensitize people against using plastic bags Welfare Movement in India. He recommends and educating people not to throw away that in future, the following activities be edible leftovers tied up in plastic bags as conducted by AWOs and NGOs during many animals, including cows, eat the plastic Animal Welfare Fortnight: bags and die.

a. Adarsh Gaushalas should conduct j. Sensitize dairy farmers not to use training programmes for Gaushala personnel “Oxytocin” injections in dairy cattle. Its use to utilize full potential of cow dung and urine is illegal under the Food and Drug for production of bio-gas, vermicompost, bio- Adulteration Prevention Act. pesticides, organic farming and making panchgavya medicines to take Gaushalas k. Visit slaughter houses and educate towards self sustenance and to generate butchers on humane slaughter to create employment in these institutions. awareness of Slaughter House Rules within the civic bodies. b. Carry out mass Anti Rabies (AR) vaccination programme of stray dogs for l. Distribute copies of “Animal Citizen”, controlling of rabies. “Jeev Sarthy” and “AWBI Newsletter” to AWOs / NGOs. c. Rescue sick animals and injured animals and taking them to veterinary clinics and m.Organize group discussions on TV / Radio shelters, and start a campaign for adoption to sensitize public on their obligation to co- of homeless puppies and to provide home to exist with animal friends and to treat them ownerless puppies. with compassion and dignity. (AWBI)  WORLD HOUSE SPARROW DAY CELEBRATED Ludhiana (Panjab): March 20 is observed It’s not the urban habitat but the We also no longer find many fertilizers and pesticides should be as the ‘World House Sparrow Day’. modification in architecture like use of glass women sitting outside the house and implemented. Sparrows, owls and vultures top the and aluminum, the pollution caused by cleaning grains, which provided sufficient endangered birds’ list in India. Sparrows, microwave towers; the excessive uses of food to these birds. Today, people get flour Research in Spain proved that the once the most widely-found bird, are pesticides, a gradual decrease in nesting and grains in pre-cleaned and microwaves released from Cell phone regarded as an indicator of a healthy sites, food sources and the replacement of packed packets which they buy from towers are harmful to house sparrows and environment. But, unfortunately, there has native plants by exotic varieties, that are to malls, where our winged friends are not the increase in the concentration of been a rapid decline in the number of be blamed. Modern architecture and urban able to go. microwaves results leads to decrease in common house sparrows. housing is also responsible as there is no House Sparrow populations. Living in such place where these can build their nests. We should plant native trees and high concentration of Microwave pollution The house sparrow (Passer B r e e d i n g shrubs and is as good as sitting in an x-ray room. The Domesticus), which has been part of our habitat is vines which decline of House Sparrow due to polluted culture and stories (told by the Grannies m o s t l y can provide environments is an indicator of the and parents to the kids), is decreasing in a s s o c i a t e d t h e m degrading environment in which we all live. number. The house sparrow once nested with human e n o u g h The governments should bring in strict on almost every house, on cups and upon environments pr otection norms and research should be done to fans, in roofs with wooden planks. In such as a n d eliminate the harmful effects of microwave bushy hedges they lived in colonies and farms, and camouflage technology or other alternative technology survived on food grains and leftovers, residential and f r o m should be seriously explored. worms, caterpillars, and termites. urban areas. p r e d a t o r Modern house birds and Feeding Sparrows: But now, it is a disappearing construction animals and species. The sparrow is a species that has has meant that also which We can make a habit of providing evolved with humans and is always found h o u s e attract supply of food for sparrows and birds in and around human habitations. It can s p a r r o w s insects and throughout the year. The grains can be kept not be found on trees, in jungles, deserts struggle to pests, all of in earthen bowls or spread in a safe shady or places where humans are not present. find adequate which are place or filled in feeders. Feed house In South India, people even considered it nesting sites in part of the sparrows broken rice or broken grains in a good omen if the house sparrow built a t o d a y ’ s n a t u r a l the summer and bajra (pearl millet) year- nest inside their houses under the rafters m a t c h b o x ecosystem. round. Small quantity of zero sized marble or a niche in the wall. Such was the bond s h a p e d Plants and chips can be added to it or other bird feed. between man and sparrow that it came to houses. All trees like Please avoid feeding birds stale, salty and be classified as a domestic species with these changes have resulted in lack of Bougainvilleas, citrus family, Henna, ber, oily leftover food. Bread and cooked food the scientific name Passer domesticus. nesting sites for our winged friends. While mulberry etc provide them enough space has a little nutritional food value. constructing new buildings, care should be and food, as these attract the native worms The decline of house sparrows is taken that nesting site are provided to house and pests .The bougainvillea and certain In buildings or homes where no a global phenomenon and the species is sparrows. other creepers can be used as ornamental natural nesting places exist, we can use declining in most of its natural range. The plants in urban homes. Exotic plants in nest boxes for sparrows. Utmost care has decline is visible in countries like the UK Due to extensive use of pesticides, the garden/homes, use of pesticides and to be taken that no predators like crows, where they have historical statistical data the food for its young ones, which are chemicals also lead to destruction of shikras or snakes etc harm the eggs or with a decline rate as high as 67% because caterpillars and soft worms, are no longer habitat and food base. Organic farming young ones. It has also to be seen that of which its conservation status has been easily available. Young house sparrows feed practices should be encouraged and bird- sparrows have access to green plants for changed to a red listed species of high exclusively on an insect diet for the first friendly restoration programs which will Worms and feed of Young ones and nest conservation concern. 15 days of their life. The lack of insects in help farmland birds and house sparrows boxes should not be exposed to extremes their surroundings will lead to an increase should be undertaken. The use of organic of weather. Nest boxes can help the house Factors Responsible for its in the mortality rate of chicks leading to fertilizersshould be encouraged and strict sparrow raise a family. Providing nest Disappearance: decline in the population of House sparrow. regulations on the use of chemical boxes should be the last option. -By Dr. Sandeep Kumar Jain 

Combined Issue Newsletter

Vol. No. 7 Issue No. 10 Re. 1/- RNI No. TNBIL2003/10675 September 2010 - March 2011

The Animal Welfare Board of India is an umbrella of the SPCAs / AWOs and Animal Welfare Workers. The Board encourages Animal Welfare activities, advices the Central and State Governments on issues relating to Animal Welfare, particularly the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and also helps to formulate Animal Welfare Policies / Legislations.

PRINTED BOOK AWBI NEWSLETTER Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers (Monthly) for India under No. RNI Official Organ of the Animal Welfare Board of India No. TNBIL2003/10675

To ______ INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE TRAIN ______ING CENTER OPENED  BE KIND TO ANIMALS AND RESPECT THEM: ______Gen. Kharb  AMC SIGNS MOU WITH AWBI ______ WORLD HOUSE SPARROW DAY CELEBRATED

If undelivered, please return to : ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD OF INDIA (Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India) Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India 13/1, Third Seaward Road, Valmiki Nagar, 13/1, Third Seaward Road, Valmiki Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai - 600 041. Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai - 600 041. Phone : 044-2445 4958, 2445 4935 Fax : 044-2445 4330 Phone : 044-2445 4958, 2445 4935 Fax : 044-2445 4330 E-mail : [email protected] E-mail : [email protected] **