Hema Malini is Good Samaritan to Kolkata strays

The stray dogs of Kolkata now have veteran actress Hema Malini to care for them. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of parliament (MP) has decided to donate Rs.200,000 from her MP local area development (MPLAD) fund to People for Animals (PFA), the non-governmental organisation, that runs the dog pound of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).

Since Hema is a resident of Mumbai, the fund would come through the collector of Mumbai suburban district. KMC commissioner Alapan Bandopadhayay would be the executing authority.

"The money would be spent in the right manner when we receive it," Bandopadhayay said.

"We are happy to know that our work has been recognised by Hema Malini. We thank her for her care and concern for Kolkata's street dogs," Debasis Chakrabarti, managing trustee, PFA Calcutta told IANS.

KMC used to kill stray dogs at the Dhapa dog pound on the Eastern Metro Bypass here before the pound was handed over to the Maneka Gandhi run PFA in March 1996.

Since then no dogs are killed and the PFA has set an example in alternative ways of managing street dogs. The sprawling pound tries to restore the mental and physical health of stray dogs and focuses on anti-rabies vaccination for the canines.

"We are as much working for humans as for animals. The welfare of animals and humans is related since our stray dog sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination programmes only help prevent rabies in humans," Chakrabarti said.

A visit to the otherwise forbidden zone of the PFA-run dog pound offers a pleasant sight. Rows of cages where at least 325 dogs can be accommodated look relatively sanitised and the animals are treated with a lot of care.

PFA's veterinary doctors have conducted over 12,000 surgeries since 2002 as part of its ABC (Animal Birth Control) programme.

Workers and volunteers of PFA and its affiliate - Compassionate Crusaders - operate in public places, including government offices, hospitals, and housing campuses.

The animals are trapped, fixed and if healthy, released back. Sick and injured dogs are taken off the streets and sheltered in the dog pound.

Indo-Asian News Service