Three dogs that were allegedly residing in IIT Madras' stray dog enclosure have been rushed to a private pet clinic in the city, owing to ill health. While a few photographs that EdexLive has accessed shows malnourished dogs with severe skin infections, the doctor's note says that all three of them haven't 'eaten for a very long time.
The dogs were taken to the pet clinic by a veterinarian and a city-based animal activist. She said that two dogs have been admitted to SK Pet Hospital, Chennai and one of them is home with her.
While the institute had previously said that the dogs were captured to be vaccinated and sterilised, the prescription also says that the dogs weren't vaccinated or dewormed and are anaemic. The hospital where the dogs are undergoing treatment has confirmed this fact to EdexLive.
If the account of an animal activist present at the hospital is to be believed while offering food, two dogs initially refused to eat, but all of them have been forced to consume some food.
A week ago, the institute admitted that 30 per cent of the dogs that it had captured since October 2020 to sterilise had died in its enclosure. According to the latest data, 188 dogs were captured by the institute's administration in October 2020. While 56 dogs died, 14 were released and 29 were adopted. Two dogs had escaped the premises. The IIT's capturing of dogs had created a lot of hue and cry among animal activists across the city. A few days ago, a police complaint was filed by an activist, against the institute's registrar for 'killing 45 dogs.'
We have written to the institute, seeking a response in this matter. While the insitute did not acknowledge the matter, it said "IIT Madras is implementing the instructions of the NGT-appointed Permanent Committee and the Hon'ble High Court. The Institute is reporting periodically to the NGT and updating the HC at each hearing." . Talking to EdexLive, a week back, an IITM spokesperson said, "every dog on our campus is microchipped and three separate enclosures have been provided. The institute has appointed a full-time Veterinarian and five handlers to take care of the dogs on campus 24×7. The facility has been inspected by various Government agencies and the dogs are being fed based on the expert advice given."
