Men and Dogs, Goats and Wildlife

Karuna Society has been rescuing wild animals (small and large) in our forest since the year 2000. Over the years we have been observing the decline of the forest and many problems for wild animals.

Everyone knows it is illegal to enter the forest, especially with dogs used for hunting. It is still happening.

Injured dogs come to the Karuna in and outpatient clinic for treatments. When we ask the owners about the cause of the injuries, they say the dogs are injured by wild animals like wild pigs, porcupines, or electrocution, etc. People are saying that they rear sheep and goats and they need dogs for security but they actually use them for hunting. They collect dogs from surrounding villages which are close to the forest where wild boars have their habitat. Most people have a lot of dogs (each person has more than 5 dogs). All together they serve as a collective hunting pack.

1. At present people are going out day and night to hunt pangolins, porcupines, and monitor lizards by using dogs in the forest (especially when it’s raining). They sell the animals (wildlife trade).

2. The farmers have laid electrical wires in the field to protect the crops and to kill the animals.

3. They create traps for the wild animals for the meat trade.

4. They inject poison in the carcass of dead wildlife to kill the leopards, etc. (for the skin).

5. People are using alarm headlights to catch rabbits and birds.

6. They make small snacks with dynamite, like bombs, to kill the wild animals for the meat trade. They also hunt turtles, snakes and other small animals for export.

Many of the dogs are stolen from other areas like Bangalore. Hunters want strong aggressive dogs. If the dogs perform well for a long time, they sell them off for big money. If they do not perform well, they do not get any food and are abandoned in our Puttaparthi area and they become an extra burden for our society.

These problems are known by everyone. The main cause is the use of dogs. We are requesting the Chief Conservator of Forests to take serious action because: Karuna cares about wild animals and the forest!

Thanking You,
Narendra Reddy
Secretary