Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

Unfortunately Heidi it was the way the culling was done which was the problem, and young men would go out on bikes and shoot at them and just injure. It was an evening sport. At one stage, don't know the dates, but money was given by the authorities on production of a 'tail' so you can imagine what could happen. This resulted in a ban on culling. If there was an organised round-up and cull by the animal welfare people themselves I agree it would be best.

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I wasn't for one minute suggesting it should be anything but an organised cull by animal welfare.

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I know, I know you didn't but in India things tend to be all or nothing. I remember it was when Maneka Gandhi was a minister she managed to get a law against it, (can't remember details), there was a lot of controversy at the time and she was laughed at. So I presume the ban is still in place and that includes the welfare people.

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In the 90s the Dog Man would start his cull just before the Monsoon started.He would mainly shoot the breeding bitches and yes he was paid by the tail.It was quite humanitarian really as the dogs really suffered during The Monsoon Period.He had a bolt action 2-2 rifle which was quite accurate.Remember there was no Animal Rescue around to help diseased dogs recover.I have seen Goans pour kerosene on diseased and lame dogs and set them on fire! The Indian politician who legislated to have the practice stopped was, corrupt to the core, Monika Gandhi. Probably the most stupid Indian politician since records began.
You can argue this matter all day but what you have to remember is that dogs carry rabies and two years ago an English women died in the UK after contracting rabies from a stray dog that attacked her.

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Haven't heard of this Monika Gandhi, you seem to know lot about her though!!!
As I mentioned above, unfortunately it wasn't just the 'dog man' who did the killing. Legislation needs to be updated to allow a controlled cull.

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Pilot 'forged papers' for licence 27 Feb: News 24 (South Africa). An Indian pilot who allegedly landed a passenger plane on its nose wheel faked documents to obtain her licence and had a record of poor landings ... Parminder Kaur Gulati, who has had the licence revoked, "used the nose wheel to touch down instead of the rear landing gear" at the end of a commercial flight from New Delhi to Goa last month ...

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Driving in India not for the faint hearted 27 Feb: Toronto Sun.

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The lost diaries of Queen Victoria's companion.

27 Feb: The Telegraph. Abdul Karim’s writings, hidden by his family until now, throw new light on a close and controversial relationship... 2439 words + photos.


27 Feb: The Telegraph (UK). British taxpayers will continue to give money to help the poorest people in India despite the Asian giant’s booming economy, Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary,


all from www.goanvoice.org.uk.

Re: In To-day's Newspapers
 

From the Herald "letters" page

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If everyone would support the animal welfare money wise they could de sex more female and male dogs this would after some time reduce the numbers and mellow out the male dogs.
Surely people would prefer this way rather then any type of culling!
If they had the money they could de sex then clip the ear and return any fit dogs, of cause really sick dogs should be put down, problem is most of these dogs only have very bad skin problems which makes them look terrible.

All bars/hotels which cater for the holiday makers should have a collection box for animal welfare, I'm sure people would like to put some money in to sort this problem out, I've seen this myself at beach resorts over asia and it really works.

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I don't know - I still think Culling, organised properly. These dogs are emaciated - there's not enough food to feed them all or enough holiday makers to love them all.

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A very nice thought, but do you really think the contents of those boxes would end up with the IAR in a place as corrupt as Goa?


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If the animal charity does not have the money to de sex every year there will be a problem, so every year emaciated dogs! I would not like to witness a culling whilst on my holiday it would haunt me, but if I saw a charity picking them up and de sexing them and returning the ok dogs no problem.

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Unfortunately it's not just about us holidaymakers and what we see. What happens when all the holiday makers have gone and there's no one to feed them or care for them?

As I said, no bigger animal lover than me, but seeing those dogs curled up in balls on the side of the road, emaciated with bones sticking out? That haunts me ! I don't think their suffering should be allowed to continue - that's just cruel.

And I have to agree with J5 - a country as corrupt as India, there is no way that money would go where it was supposed to go, sadly.

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Agree with you Heidi, it is also a problem with cats and abandoned kittens from householders except that they die more quickly. I mentioned in an above post the politician and activist Maneka Gandhi; her ill thought out (although well-meaning ) legislation contributes to the dog situation. She is now chairperson of PFA (People For Animals) it might be worth all of us contacting her and ask for action. I intend to join the group today (fired up by your post!)

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It was done officially before Monika saw it as a vote catcher. Incidentally she was arrested for swindling some NGOs money last year.Off course she denies it and being a Gandhi every one believes her ! But the culling was done by a paid official of the local Panchyat who was also licensed by the police to carry and shoot the rifle in a public place.One of the problems of mass tourism is the glut of food available to stray dogs and rats.But i have to say the numbers of stray dogs is actually down now.Cars and the indiscriminate usage of rat poison being the chief cause of fatalities.Its a crying shame that Goa is now one of the richest states in India and doesn't have an official policy of culling unwanted and stray dogs. My ex-land lady lost her dog last year to Rattol.

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With respect where do you get your information from? Her name is not, Monika she is Punjabi!! She fell out with most of the Gandhi clan soon after her husbands death. (Are you mixing her up with him? She was barely 20 years old when he was killed and with a small baby so cannot be blamed for his debacles.)
Certainly by all accounts she is not an intellectual giant, but has spent her entire political life trying to do something for animals, the first Indian politician to do so and that took some courage as she has been mocked for it.
At least give her that.
The dog problem is not only in Goa and rat poison is a danger everywhere. (Rats and mice are a different problem if you live in a house and not an appartment.)