Representational Image | Source: ANI

In the wake of the G20 Summit, a puzzling situation has arisen in Delhi. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) recently declared that they had released all the stray dogs they had captured before the event. However, this move has left many dog feeders, animal enthusiasts, and animal welfare organizations scratching their heads, as they’ve noticed that several dogs are nowhere to be found, prompting grassroots efforts to reunite these dogs with their rightful territories.

According to these concerned groups, the MCD’s approach was quite unconventional. They claim that without any clear records of where these animals originally roamed, the MCD released them at random locations on September 11, causing a state of confusion for both the dogs and their caregivers.

One passionate activist, Gunjan Uppal, stumbled upon an elderly and frail dog named Granny at an Animal Birth Control (ABC) facility in Masoodpur. Gunjan, who had been closely monitoring the ABC units due to concerns about their treatment of animals, shared her discovery, saying, “Some of these dogs had tags, but many were without any identification.” It took her a painstaking four days to locate Granny.

Shashank Malhotra, who has been dedicatedly feeding dogs near the airport terminals since 2019, is on a quest to find nine out of the eighteen missing dogs. He also raised concerns about the lack of proper tagging for these dogs. “Fifteen to sixteen new dogs have mysteriously appeared at the cargo terminal,” Shashank explained, highlighting the bewildering nature of the situation. Dog feeders like Shashank are now coming together through social media channels to collaborate in their search for the missing dogs.

Manni Singh, a dedicated dog rescuer, has also turned to social media to aid in her quest to find the missing dogs. She’s even taken her efforts offline, distributing pamphlets to local chaiwalas with the promise of a ?5,000 reward for any information leading to their recovery.

Divya Puri, a devoted member of the Karanpuri Foundation, an animal welfare group, has been keeping a watchful eye on the situation. She noted, “In total, there are 31 dogs missing from Pragati Maidan and the Airport terminals.” She has gone the extra mile by sharing this list with the MCD caretakers in hopes of a resolution.

Despite the mounting concerns and community efforts, MCD officials remain steadfast in their assertion that all the dogs were released in the same areas they were captured from and that proper tagging was carried out. The mystery of the missing dogs in Delhi continues, leaving those who care deeply about these animals determined to bring them back to their rightful homes.