Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has taken a new step in street animal management with the goal of building a just and inclusive city. At the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony with Furry Friends Foundation, DNCC Administrator Mohammad Azaz stated that their goal is the coexistence of all creatures alongside humans in the city’s ecology.
Delivering the chief guest’s speech at the agreement signing ceremony held at the DNCC Nagar Bhaban on Thursday afternoon, he said, “By 2050, nearly 70 percent of the world’s population will live in cities. A city is not just a collection of infrastructure and people; a city has its own ecology, which includes all life, including dogs and cats.”
He further said, “A just city can only be built through humane and inclusive urbanisation.”
Azaz clarified that removing street animals from the city is not their objective. He said, “The reality of the Global South cannot be judged by the experience of the Global North. Removing street animals from the city is not our objective; coexistence is our goal. We are giving the highest priority to animal protection.”
DNCC Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Asaduzzaman informed, “DNCC is taking the initiative to appoint 10 veterinary surgeons for animal protection. At the same time, increasing public awareness for street animal protection is also extremely important.”
Under the Memorandum of Understanding, CNVR activities will be implemented, rabies control will be conducted, awareness campaigns will be run, and integrated initiatives will be taken in waste management.
According to the agreement, DNCC and Furry Friends Foundation will jointly run vaccination programmes for street animals and implement CNVR activities to control the dog population in a humane and scientific manner. Extensive promotional activities will be conducted to increase awareness among city residents about animal welfare and public health.
A significant aspect of this joint initiative is the arrangement to convert waste into food for street animals. As a result, on one hand, it will be possible to keep the city’s environment clean, and on the other hand, a sustainable solution will be ensured to meet the food needs of street animals, DNCC believes.
On behalf of DNCC, Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes Chowdhury signed the Memorandum of Understanding, and on behalf of Furry Friends Foundation, Founder and Chairperson Tasneem Sinha signed.
