Agri-Horticulture Society fences off dogs, plaint reaches cops, ‘cruelty’ notices sent
Times of India | 14 September 2025Notices have been put up, warning of action against those who defy the order and feed animals and birds.
Animal caregivers Meenakshi Pandeya and Nandita Thirani have lodged a complaint at the Alipore PS and sent legal notices to AHSI functionaries, accusing the office-bearers of cruelty to animals. "The dogs are starving, collapsing, waiting for food. This is life or death," said Thirani, trustee of Shri Ramlal Thirani Charitable Trust.
"We fed and cared for about 25-30 dogs on the AHSI campus for over a decade, in accordance with the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, the Prevention of Cruelty Act 1960, and binding judgments of the SC and HCs.
The Society is barring animal lovers from providing food and water to them."
The prohibition has drawn the ire of the animal lovers among the Society members. Kailash Kumar Agarwal, an AHSI member, said, "I have been feeding dogs and birds for the past 30 years.
In July, I was show-caused for feeding animals and birds. The workers and gardeners have been threatened with unemployment if they feed them. Two years ago, the Society tried to do the same thing but backed off after Maneka Gandhi intervened.
Now, this ban will starve the animals to death."
TOI's calls and texts to AHSI president Bharat Bajoria went unanswered. The Society's secretary, Durgadas Sarcar, denied the allegation of cruelty. He said, "It is a private property, and we have decided not to allow animals or animal feeding here. Do clubs allow entry with animals or feeding them on the premises? We put up notices, banning the feeding, thinking about morning walkers' security."
Pandeya said, "The boards were put up about 10 days ago and the Society has deployed bouncers to prevent the entry of feeders. We are worried about the dogs behind barbed wire fencing not getting food and water."
