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Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Chandigarh: 96% of SPCA funds go to salaries, only 4% for animal care, say activists
Highlighting the 'appalling conditions and mismanagement' at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Sector 38-West, Chandigarh—the only government-run veterinary shelter in the UT—animal lovers and city-based volunteers claimed on Wednesday, citing RTI findings, that less than 1% of the shelter's total annual budget is spent on medicines and hospital care for animals and 3% on food, despite being the primary focus of the centre. Gill claimed that dogs were crammed into kennels measuring around 4x3 feet, unable to walk and surrounded by filth and faeces. (HT photo for representation) At a press conference held on Wednesday, Sehjeevi, a registered charitable trust dedicated to animal welfare, claimed that the recent relocation of animals from the SPCA to the Chandigarh municipal corporation's Raipur Kalan Animal Birth Control (ABC) Centre was poorly planned. 'The move, prompted by ongoing renovations at the SPCA facility, where animals, mainly dogs, continue to be in terrible conditions,' the trust said. While showing photos and videos, Sehjeevi's executive director Nikki Latta Gill, said, 'The plight of the animals worsened on April 29 when yet-to-start renovation work at SPCA-38W forced a sudden and ill-planned relocation of its shelter animals to the defunct Raipur Kalan centre, originally designed as a temporary neutering facility.' Gill claimed that dogs were crammed into kennels measuring around 4x3 feet, unable to walk and surrounded by filth and faeces. 'The ABC centre, originally intended for a 3–5 day stay post-neutering, now confines animals indefinitely, in direct violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960,' Gill added. Gill claimed that despite an annual budgetary grant of approximately ₹ 96 lakh for FY 2023-24 (as per the RTI records), the shelter has consistently failed to deliver. 'Less than 1% of the funds were allocated to medicines and hospital care, 3% to food, while a whopping 96% of the annual grant went solely to staff salaries,' said Gill. MC joint commissioner Himanshu Gupta said, 'The entire SPCA facility is being renovated and animals have been temporarily shifted to Raipur Kalan. We are closely monitoring facilities for the animals. Also, after receiving a request for making arrangements for walkable space for dogs inside Raipur Kalan, we have demarcated some areas and are fencing it to start the facility soon.' Animal lovers demanded relief measures and de-clubbing of SPCA operations and ABC programme.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
‘Animals ailing at ABC centre': NGO flags serious concerns
Chandigarh: An NGO involved in animal welfare activities has raised serious concerns over the abrupt relocation of animals from the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) centre in Sector 38W to the Raipur Kalan animal birth control (ABC) centre, and the alleged misuse of government funds meant for animal welfare. Both centres come under the Chandigarh municipal corporation. SPCA Chandigarh, the only government-run veterinary shelter in the Union Territory, has come under scrutiny after its animals were hastily moved to the ABC Centre on April 29, ahead of a renovation project that is yet to begin. Nikki Latta Gill, executive director of Sehjeevi (NGO), described the move as "ill-planned and inhumane," emphasizing that the ABC centre was never designed to function as a full-time shelter. "The animals are suffering. The relocation has turned a temporary neutering facility into a prison for innocent souls," Gill said at a press conference on Wednesday. She alleged that many large dogs are forced to stay in smaller kennels and several healthy dogs are not being released. "This will inevitably lead to the development of undesirable, aggressive behaviours, which will become a menace to public safety when these animals are released back to the place from where they were picked," GIll added. The NGO also claimed that kennel blocks in Raipur Kalan have become breeding grounds for diseases, including canine distemper, tick fever and skin infections. "This also poses a public health hazard when these animals are released back to the streets," Gill added. According to the NGO, paralyzed dogs are almost left to die, with nobody to take care of them. 'Financial discrepancies' An RTI filed by Gill revealed shocking figures: out of the Rs 96 lakh annual grant for FY 2023–24, Rs 91.72 lakh was spent on salaries, while only Rs 57,565 went toward medical expenses and Rs 3.3 lakh on food — for over 150 animals. Gill presented veterinary estimates showing that actual annual costs for food and medicine should be around Rs 30.85 lakh, underscoring a massive shortfall in care. Gill has also filed an RTI demanding monthly data on admissions, releases, deaths (with causes), and missing animals; a formal enquiry into the relocation and disciplinary action against officials responsible; and digitalization of records for transparency and governance. Facility supervisor responds Supervisor of the facility, Sourav Sharma, said, "A tubewell (which supplies water to Raipur Kalan centre) is currently not functional, however water tanks are being sent twice a day by medical officer, health, because of which we are able to clean the facility." He said talks are underway about creating an open area for dogs and allocating a special area for paralysed animals. He said, "There are two doctors and 23 staff members at the facility. " For better administrative purposes he recommended that a structured channel be put in place for timely clearance of bills, so that the supplies reach the facility on time, and payment of salary for staff. MC to take stock: Kumar MC commissioner Amit Kumar said, "There is a team already working on the facility, and we will detail the team to review the situation."
