PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) officials on Wednesday said that its animal shelter at Shankarpur Gaushala might be expanded to accommodate up to 2,000 animals if required, as the civic body continues to manage animals at its shelters amid regular rescue calls and complaints from different parts of Dehradun.
The senior municipal veterinary officer, Dr Varun Aggarwal said that the Shankarpur Gaushala currently has a capacity to house 650 animals, while 559 animals are presently staying there. He said that the existing facility has scope for expansion and its capacity could be increased significantly if the number of animals requiring shelter rises. “The capacity could be increased up to 2,000 animals depending on requirement,” Aggarwal said.
The civic body also operates an animal shelter at Kedarpur. According to Aggarwal, the facility has a capacity of 350 animals while it currently houses 314.
With both shelters accommodating hundreds of animals, the veterinary department is still dealing with complaints related to stray and injured animals from across the city. Aggarwal said that teams respond to rescue calls, accidents and other animal-related emergencies on a regular basis.
He further said that the department operates round the clock to respond to such complaints and carry out animal rescue and capturing operations. “The department’s response comes amid continued concerns over stray animals in several parts of Dehradun, with residents frequently reporting incidents involving animals on roads and in residential areas,” he said.
