india

Updated: Jun 11, 2019 02:35 IST

The Lucknow University (LU) has prohibited its teaching and non-teaching staff residing on the campus from keeping animals.

In an order issued by the university’s social works department head Gurnam Singh on May 30, 2019, the staff was warned that those guilty of keeping animals in their residence will lose their campus accommodation.

“All university staff staying on the campus are hereby informed that they cannot keep animals. It has been found that animals are openly moving inside the campus. If we come across animals of university staff moving on the campus, they will be sterilised and the employee found guilty of keeping animals will be asked to vacate the university accommodation,” the order read.

The genesis of this order is a letter penned by LU Teachers Association general secretary Nitin Kumar Verma to the works superintendent to get rid of the animals from the campus.

When asked if dogs and cats are also banned, Gurnam Singh said, “There are some employees who are keeping goats on the campus. As it is causing a nuisance, it was decided to remove them. We haven’t said anything related to dogs. It is more to do with cows, bulls, buffaloes and goats loitering on the campus.”

LU VC SP Singh said, “The order issued on May 30 has more to do with stray cattle loitering on the campus. Nowhere have we mentioned dogs or cats in the order”.

However, the order, which is ambiguous about dogs and cats too being part of the order, has not gone down well with many animal lover university staff, who live on the campus.

“I have a domesticated pet, a dog, which is like a child to me. According to this notice, I have to either give him away or put him down, if I wish to continue staying on the campus. I hope you understand the emotional distress this brings to my family just thinking about it,” a teacher said.

“Vice Chancellor SP Singh also had a pet dog, which unfortunately died earlier this year. I am sure he understands best what it means to lose someone you love. Like me, many of my fellow colleagues might be getting sleepless nights because of this notice,” a teacher said.

“Campus and public space must be safe for both man and animal. Animals like cows let loose, feed on plastic and die. Dogs not vaccinated are dangerous to themselves and others. It would be nice if animals can be adopted and not left stray,” said a senior humanities professor.

The Lucknow University (LU) has prohibited its teaching and non-teaching staff residing on the campus from keeping animals.

In an order issued by the university’s social works department head Gurnam Singh on May 30, 2019, the staff was warned that those guilty of keeping animals in their residence will lose their campus accommodation.

“All university staff staying on the campus are hereby informed that they cannot keep animals. It has been found that animals are openly moving inside the campus. If we come across animals of university staff moving on the campus, they will be sterilised and the employee found guilty of keeping animals will be asked to vacate the university accommodation,” the order read.

The genesis of this order is a letter penned by LU Teachers Association general secretary Nitin Kumar Verma to the works superintendent to get rid of the animals from the campus.

When asked if dogs and cats are also banned, Gurnam Singh said, “There are some employees who are keeping goats on the campus. As it is causing a nuisance, it was decided to remove them. We haven’t said anything related to dogs. It is more to do with cows, bulls, buffaloes and goats loitering on the campus.”

LU VC SP Singh said, “The order issued on May 30 has more to do with stray cattle loitering on the campus. Nowhere have we mentioned dogs or cats in the order”.

However, the order, which is ambiguous about dogs and cats too being part of the order, has not gone down well with many animal lover university staff, who live on the campus.

“I have a domesticated pet, a dog, which is like a child to me. According to this notice, I have to either give him away or put him down, if I wish to continue staying on the campus. I hope you understand the emotional distress this brings to my family just thinking about it,” a teacher said.

“Vice Chancellor SP Singh also had a pet dog, which unfortunately died earlier this year. I am sure he understands best what it means to lose someone you love. Like me, many of my fellow colleagues might be getting sleepless nights because of this notice,” a teacher said.

“Campus and public space must be safe for both man and animal. Animals like cows let loose, feed on plastic and die. Dogs not vaccinated are dangerous to themselves and others. It would be nice if animals can be adopted and not left stray,” said a senior humanities professor.

“Universities can start animal shelters. We can create a controlled, safe environment without banning keeping pets. In front of the NCC office, there is an unused area meant for bio composting, which we can use,” the same professor suggested.

Another professor said there is a supreme court ruling about dogs in particular. Let alone pet dogs, even strays have a right to live in their areas. Dogs only come under domesticated animal category. “Love dogs. Don’t hate them. They become violent when we misbehave with them,” a teacher said.

Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, also a commerce faculty member, is an animal lover and has set up a huge animal shelter. Prof Sharma has a number of rats at his university residence.

On being contacted, Sharma said he was not aware about the order and will seek a clarification from the vice chancellor.

Prof UC Vashisht of the education department, who retired two years ago, had a cow and a dog during his stay on the campus. Prof Amita Kanaujia of Zoology department distributed bird houses for sparrows, while many students help stray animals, said a teacher availing university accommodation.

“A controlled, safe eco system with vaccinated animals is good. The university has an excellent veterinary hospital next to it. Let us encourage love for animals and control strays with human safety in mind, in a balanced manner,” a teacher suggested.