Animal rights activists have expressed concern over the disappearance of stray dogs in a northeastern Assam town.
In a November 19 complaint lodged at a local police station, the quartet of Dimpi Pareek, Dipankar Saikia, Luhit Das, and Ritutpal Phukan flagged the “abrupt reduction” in the population of street dogs in North Lakhimpur, the headquarters of Lakhimpur district, about 360 km northeast of Guwahati.
In another complaint on December 2, animal lover Priyamjyoti Phukan said almost 80% of the stray dogs in the town have vanished suddenly.
“There is a growing suspicion among the public and animal welfare volunteers that these dogs may have been illegally captured for the dog meat trade, which is a criminal offence under animal cruelty and transportation laws,” the first complaint read.
The complainants urged the police to investigate the case and take strict action against anyone found involved in the illegal practice.
