Disappearance of stray dogs in Assam worries animal lovers

GUWAHATI: A series of complaints by animal lovers has sparked concern in North Lakhimpur after a large number of stray dogs reportedly went missing in the weeks following the Supreme Court’s directive to relocate street dogs to shelters post sterilisation and vaccination.

On November 19, four animal welfare volunteers — Dimpi Pareek, Dipankar Saikia, Luhit Das and Ritupal Phukan — lodged a complaint with the police alleging an “abnormal reduction” in the stray dog population across the town. They expressed fears that the canines may have been illegally captured for the dog-meat trade, calling it a “serious criminal offence” under animal cruelty and transportation laws. They urged police to launch an investigation and act against those involved in any such racket.

In another complaint filed on December 2, animal lover Priyamjyoti Phukan said that nearly 70–80 per cent of the town’s stray dogs had “suddenly vanished”. She recalled feeding the animals during the Covid-19 pandemic, when their estimated population was around 500. “We now have around 100 of them,” she said, adding that two dogs under her care — one amputated and another undergoing treatment were also missing. She alleged that certain groups may be poaching the dogs for quick profit.

Amid rising alarm, the North Lakhimpur Municipal Board, in a letter dated November 21, asked the Officer-in-Charge of North Lakhimpur Sadar Thana to register an FIR on the matter. The civic body said vaccination of stray dogs was under way but reports from multiple locations indicated that many of the animals had disappeared. It sought a “proper investigation” and “appropriate measures” from police.

Confirming the development, Nayan Moni Barman, Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime), Lakhimpur, said the matter is being probed. “We received complaints about the disappearance of stray dogs. We are investigating,” he told