Centre contemplating a ban on wolf dogs. But what about the hybrids roaming India’s wilds?

Centre contemplating a ban on wolf dogs. But what about the hybrids roaming India’s wilds?

Subject: Environment

Section: Species in news

Context:

• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has requested local bodies to avoid issuing licenses for the sale and breeding of certain dog breeds considered ‘ferocious’ and ‘dangerous for human life’, including wolf-dog hybrids.

Wolf-Dog Hybrids:

• Wolf-dog hybrids result from breeding wolves with certain domestic dog breeds like Akitas, German Shepherds, Alaskan Malamutes, and Huskies.
• These hybrids exhibit a mix of wild and domestic traits, becoming more wolf-like in behaviour as they mature.
• Concerns and Incidents
  • There have been instances in the United States of wolf-dog hybrids escaping, attacking small dogs, and threatening humans, raising questions about their breeding and sale to the public.
  • Experts question the decision to list wolf dogs as problematic due to the lack of data on their breeding in India.
  • Concerns are raised about the hybridization between wolves and free-ranging dogs in India’s wilderness, potentially threatening native wolf populations.
  • There’s also a broader ethical debate against breeding animals for specific traits, which can lead to genetic defects and health issues.

Wildlife and Ethical Considerations:

• Hybridization between wolves and free-ranging dogs, termed ‘Khib-shang’ in Ladakh, indicates the presence of wolf-dog hybrids in India’s wild areas.
• Issues arise from poor pet ownership and abandonment, leading to exotic breeds mingling with street and wild canines, spreading diseases, and contributing to hybridization.
• The phenomenon of wolf-dog hybrids is not limited to any specific region but is a broader issue of concern due to potential aggression and livestock predation.

Animal Birth Control or ABC Rules:

• First introduced in 2000 by the Ministry of Culture.
• Recently replaced by the ABC rules 2023.
• The rules are issued under the Prevention of Cruelty to animal act, 1960
• The policy aims to implement a technique called ‘catch-neuter-vaccinate-release’ to control populations of free-ranging dogs and cats.
• Provisions:
  • The Rules have been formulated in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Hon’ble Supreme Court related to the Animal Welfare Board of India and People for Elimination of Stray Troubles.
    • The Supreme Court has specifically mentioned in various orders that relocation of dogs cannot be permitted.
  • The Rules aim to provide guidelines for the sterilisation and immunisation of stray dogs through Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes.
    • The responsibility of carrying out ABC programmes lies with the respective local bodies, municipalities, municipal corporations, and panchayats.
    • The Municipal Corporations are required to implement the ABC and Anti Rabies Program jointly.
  • It provides guidelines on how to deal with human and stray dog conflicts without relocating the dogs in an area.
  • It also emphasises addressing the cruelty involved in carrying out ABC programmes, ensuring animal welfare.

Drawbacks of the rule:

• No benchmark has been set for the number of dogs to be sterilised.
• No proper population estimation of stray dogs by municipalities.
• ABC Rules ban the euthanasia of rabid animals, making India the only country in the world to follow such a cruel practice. The rules require rabid dogs to “die a natural death”.

Source: DTE