TN Finance Minister Thiyagarajan Seeks Report Over Death Of 49 Captive Dogs In IIT-M Campus

A six-member committee submitted a report on August 10 which revealed that 49 dogs died between September 2020 and July 2021 at IIT Madras Dog Shelter.

Palanivel Thiagarajan

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Finance Minister PTR Palanivel Thiyagarajan--a dog lover--has intervened in the complaints of alleged poor living conditions and several deaths of dogs in IIT Madras's dog shelter in the past. The Minister has instructed the authorities to conduct a clinical investigation on all the dogs in the shelter and submit a report. 

The intervention of the Minister comes after several activists, faculty and alumni of IIT Madras wrote to the Minister over the death of the dogs and their living conditions in the shelter. According to a report in The New Indian Express, the email communications between Additional Chief Secretary TS Jawahar, the member secretary of Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board A Gnanasekharan, Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences (AH&VS), and IIT Madras administration showed that a six-member committee has been formed to inspect the dog shelter in IIT Madras. 

The six-member committee submitted the report on August 10 which revealed that 49 dogs died between September 2020 and July 2021. According to the report, among the 49 dogs, 29 dogs died due to age-related ailments and 20 other dogs due to health issues. The report also said that 14 more dogs are weak and are undergoing treatment. 

The committee said that a death audit and postmortem of dogs should be undertaken by the veterinary wing of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS). The committee also suggested improving the health status of dogs and said that IIT Madras can form a committee with animal lovers within the campus to ensure transparency about the health of the dogs. 

In September 2020, IIT Madras impounded 160 stray dogs claiming that the dogs lead to the death of deer and blackbuck population in the campus.