THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: DGP Loknath Behera's initiative to adopt stray dogs and rehabilitate them in rural police stations is fast picking up. However, in some police stations, cops are finding it difficult to provide food as the DGP has not provided for food allowance.
Dog lover ADGP (intelligence) R. Sreelekha has provided Rs 2,000 from her pocket for Sporty, the stray dog at Pallikkal police station. It was on Oct. 4 the DGP sent Pluto, Julie, Rosy, Lucy and Sporty to Parassala, Palode, Vithura, Poovar and Pallikkal stations entrusting them to take care of them.
The pilot project was supposed to be inaugurated by Mr Behera himself by handing over the five adopted strays to different police stations within the capital city.
But when he faced brickbats from certain quarters, he was forced to pack them off to the rural police stations and kept it a low-key affair. Police sources said the force is pampering all the five dogs at the respective police stations.
“Now these dogs have got accustomed to their new environs. In fact, they don’t bark at khaki-clad officers but only at strangers who come to the police station to lodge complaints,” they said.
The major issue before the force is the food allowance, and they hope the issue to settle very soon.
Now it is the station officers who bring food for their new ‘sentries’. Police officials have admitted that they were provided with a leash, collar and a bowl along with few packets of biscuits provided by Ms Sreelekha at the time of handing over the dogs to the five police stations.
“Fortunately, now Sreelekha madam has come forward and offered '2,000 for Sporty who’s accommodated at Pallikkal station. All the five adopted dogs have got vaccinated and medicines for deworming,” they said.
The kennel for Julie at Palode station is getting ready, and she would soon leave her makeshift home. Rosy is leading a contented life at Vithura station as during day she acts as a sentry, and at night she snuggles in her blanket provided by the station officers.
