Random Rantings

I love everything around me… I love my country, my society, my family, my friends, , my work…I abhor violence…But I vote for the killing of dogs! Do I not sound absurd!?

After all in our country people kill cattle and chicken for consumption. Dogs have been and is still considered man’s best friend, but they also are being killed in heavy numbers each passing day by their own ‘human masters’. Is killing to eat acceptable but killing for ‘no reason’ revered and turned a deaf ear upon?

We always exclaim that dogs are part of our foremost society, our everyday community, a part of our home sweet home. But what have we done to protect these thousands of poor creatures who are put to death by inhumane methods advocated by our very own community?

Municipalities get rid of excess dogs by killing them, and this has been quite evident in the case of the so called ‘civilized kingdom’ of Kandy where the mayor and council-members have even ignored the directive of the our own President and have advocated the inhumane killing of these innocent ‘best friends’ of man kind, through very brutal methods such starving them to death, beating them up and poisoning them in flesh and blood amidst the cries and tears of their own canine mothers. Do these man-slaughterers have any virtuous conscience or let alone a heart which pumps ‘untainted’ emotions? I certainly doubt they do.

I cannot help but wonder how our weak municipalities deal with this problem. It lies in active govt participation through financial and infrastructural resources in an effective long term sterilization and protection programmes.

Unfortunately, everything gets caught in red-tape. Absurd obscurities are placed ahead of the dog killing issue (as usual blaming everything at hand on the country’s war situation, rising inflation, drought, floods and what more). What we need is a simple permission to increase our sterilization capacity via permanent sterilization campaigns.

Since the respective authorities remain ‘always dormant’ here are some practical solutions for all Sri Lankans as I see:

1. Control your ‘own’ pet
Maintain and look after your own ‘resident’ dogs. Close your gates properly or keep them in a leash and do not let them wander out on streets, where they would be highly susceptible for diseases, stray bites and would also pose a risk of being picked up by heartless ‘dog killers’.

2. Feed and protect the so called ‘unwanted’
Some of us feed stray street dogs out of affection and believe me, dogs will never forget a favour done on behalf of them, even once (unlike many of us humans). Show them some love, concern (simply follow the teachings of your own religious sects) and voice your opinion against brutal killing of dogs. Behave responsibly and be always vigilant over your neighbourhood dogs to eliminate forceful abduction of dogs.

3. Sterilize and vaccinate
Sterilization is practical if adequate support by individuals and organisations are given on a long term basis, not only by monetary means, but also through word of mouth, media and educational awareness about the inhumane killings of dogs, still taking part in various parts of the country, more vehemently in Kandy.

Proper and timely vaccination is also essential.

With the recently imposed annual ‘dog tax’ and with the millions of rupees earnt by this means each year, can the state authorities please contribute a small percentage of this fund to ‘protect’ the innocent creatures too?
In conclusion, I believe that what needs to change is more about the humans than the dogs. A cultural shift is needed to fight for rights of stray dogs as commonplace and to the thinking that dogs need a home. I would urge all of you, as responsible citizens to make a public outcry whenever any action is contemplated against stray dogs.

“Act Humanely”
“Sterilize and Vaccinate the Survivors”
“If you feed a Stray then take him home or take good care of him”
“Act and speak against all violence to dogs in our society”

- Iresha Degamboda