Activists allege dogs are treated cruelly under Chennai Corporation's sterilisation programme.

The next time you see the municipal corporation pick up dogs and taking it to their pound for sterilisation, spare a thought for poor creatures for they may not exactly be heading for the most welcoming of places.Animal activists are up in arms condemning the Chennai corporation for what they describe as horrifying conditions in which dogs are kept in pounds.Alleging violations in the Animal Birth Control programme, a video released by a group has created huge uproar.The video shot at the Greater Chennai's Corporation's dog pound in Pulianthope, features a dog with its guts hanging out sitting on a blood-stained floor.This is after 'sterilisation surgeries' that are part of the birth control program to keep the population of dogs in the city under checks. But the manner in which they are being carried out is completely against the ethical treatment of animals, the activists say.The program has been run in collaboration with the NGO 'People for Animals - Chennai' for over 21 years, and the NGO's association with the pound was recently terminated and all operations were taken over by the civic body.When the NGO was managing the pound, it was open to public round the clock. However, since the civic body had taken over, the pounds in the city have been closed.Activists allege this is because they do not want the public to know what really goes on behind those gates."First pregnant dogs are being picked, that's a big violation. Secondly, dogs which are really young four to five-month-old puppies are being sterilised," alleges activist Shravan Krishnan.Alleging that the corporation's health department was violating the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001, Shanmugasundaram, an animal lover and the prime complainant in this issue said he was shocked to see the state of affairs at these pounds.When NDTV contacted the Corporation, officials said the video had been doctored by the activists because their funding had been cut after the government had taken over.A veterinary doctor on duty alleged it was the work of labourers at the pound and an investigation has been ordered.However, workers at the pound said they were being forced to write a letter and take the blame."People would ask questions looking at the state of the dogs, that's why they do not allow them inside," said Anbumani who was working as a watchman in the pound and was sacked recently for allegedly letting dog owners inside the pound who later filed a complaint which brought the issue to the limelight.Animal activists across the city have requested the Corporation Commissioner to order an investigation into the issue and halt the program until those responsible for this atrocity are punished.