Delhi’s proposed dog shelter at Tehkhand faces opposition from residents

Experts estimate that each dog would require at least 40-45 square feet of space in a permanent shelter, as per animal welfare board regulations

New Delhi

While the facility was to initially house aggressive dogs, now it will turn into a shelter for all dogs, officials said. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

The Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD’s) plan to set up the city’s first institutional dog shelter on a 1,000 square-yard plot in southeast Delhi’s Tehkhand has run into opposition from residents, who allege that it will exacerbate the problems in their locality, contending that relocated dogs would turn more aggressive.

Experts estimate that each dog would require at least 40-45 square feet of space in a permanent shelter, as per animal welfare board regulations.

Ajeet Singh Vidhuri, a 71-year-old resident of Tehkhand village, said, “If a dog shelter is constructed in our village, it will be nothing short of a disaster. Our area in itself has at least 300 to 400 dogs and then if they bring dogs from the Aali village, Madanpur Khadar, Tughlakabad and other areas, how will they accommodate them all? These dogs will become aggressive because they are being brought in from different areas and will be forced to stay together.”

“If by chance, any of these dogs escape and get aggressive with the residents here, who exactly will take responsibility?” Vidhuri said.

An MCD official said that in a meeting held by the chief secretary last month, a decision for the urban development department and MCD to set up a shelter at Tehkhand would go ahead. “The layout of the shelter will be prepared by MCD and funds will be provided by the urban development department...DDA had allocated around 1000 square yards of land at village Tehkhand to MCD for establishing ABC (sterilization) centre. This parcel of land can be utilized for establishing an institutional shelter for keeping aggressive, furious, habitual biters and rabies suspected dogs in isolation kennels,” the minutes of the meeting read.

Following the Supreme Court order to remove dogs from streets, officials have earmarked this as a shelter for dogs from across the city.

Sudhir Kumar, 40, who owns a pharmacy shop in the village, said, “A few years ago, a dog got very aggressive and was biting all residents for no reason. After multiple complaints to the MCD, it took over a week to pick the dog up... Now, if dogs do escape from this shelter that might be constructed here, we cannot even defend ourselves.”

Animal rights activists have also flagged that such shelters cannot be set up in residential areas, as it would lead to a plethora of complaints.

Kamala, 34, who lives with her two children in the locality, said, “Will it not be unhygienic if so many dogs stay near our homes?”

An MCD official said that the issue of utilisation of the land parcel has been going on for years. “The land was allotted for an ABC centre but the local have been opposing it from the very first day. They also took the matter to court but lost the case. Land availability in Delhi is very low and no one wants such facilities in their backyard, but we have to set up a shelter,” the official said.