SHILLONG, May 21: Several dogs in the Mawlai, Umjapung area were reportedly picked up by the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB), according to allegations from several residents of the area.
According to testimonies from residents, the dogs they fed and cared for were taken by municipal authorities. One resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, informed The Shillong Times that last week, a municipal truck arrived and took away several innocent dogs following a complaint by the local headman.
The headman had complained about a specific dog that had recently given birth to puppies and had bitten a resident out of protective instinct. However, the municipal authorities were unable to capture this mother dog and instead took away several other innocent dogs.
Residents subsequently complained to an animal NGO, Shillong Happy Tails, which publicised the issue on their social media platform, alleging that the Shillong Municipal Board had engaged in similar actions in the past.
A member of Shillong Happy Tails stated, “This is not the first time the SMB has picked up random dogs without proper justification. Similar incidents occurred last year in Laitumkhrah, and we have received numerous complaints from around Mawlai.”
She further mentioned, “When we attempted to contact SMB officials regarding the pickups, their responses were vague. One of our members visited the area where the dogs were being kept and found that they were not being fed or properly cared for. It was heartbreaking to see them in such conditions.”
She also suggested that the SMB should engage with the NGOs in such cases.
It should be noted that it is against the law for individuals, resident welfare associations (RWAs), or estate managements to remove or relocate dogs, according to the Stray Dog Management Rules of 2001. Dogs must be sterilised, vaccinated, and returned to the same location. Municipal authorities cannot take away pets that have been vaccinated and spayed or neutered.
The Shillong Times also reached out to the Chief Executive Officer of SMB, PK Boro, who stated, “Our personnel did pick up the dogs, but it was in response to a complaint from the headman, who was also present during the incident.”
He emphasised that dogs are not picked up without witnesses, as it is a sensitive matter related to animal cruelty.
