The issue of stray animals in Paro has started improving after the Dzongkhag Tshogdu passed a resolution last year. Municipal workers collect stray cattle and horses and house them in a 17-acre shelter at Dopshari Gewog. Owners are traced through social media platforms to reclaim their animals. However, older animals or those deemed of little value often remain unclaimed, posing challenges to the gewog to manage them.
The initiative aims to address issues caused by stray animals, including damage to farms, traffic disruptions, and pedestrian safety risks.
According to gewog officials, at least ten stray animals were brought to the shelter, with some owners releasing them after paying a Nu 500 penalty.
“We decided to collect the stray animals for three reasons. Firstly, the animals attack farms and fields of other farmers. Secondly, they obstruct the ever-growing traffic, and finally, the animals attack pedestrians. In one severe case, a stray animal fatally attacked a person,” said Tshering Dorji, Chairperson, Dzongkhag Tshogdu, Paro.
“After we started catching the stray animals and put them in the shelter, a lot of the issues have been solved. We organised a meeting to raise awareness about the shelter’s purpose and informed owners about the penalties. Since then, stray animal issues have significantly decreased,” said Chey Chey, Kempa-Kuduphu Tsogpa, Dopshari Gewog.
The gewog recently hired a caretaker to manage the animals at the shelter. However, the gewog is urging owners to reclaim their animals as the number of stray animals is continuing to grow.
Currently, the gewog relies on in-kind donations from the public to feed the animals.
“Since I joined here as a caretaker, I released five cattle. The municipal brought six cattle at a time earlier this week three were released the same night, and two were taken the next morning. But no one came to claim the ox from that group. So, there are 28 cattle in the shelter today,” said Penjor, a caretaker of the shelter.
“According to the law, if the owner doesn’t come to claim the animal within two weeks, we are mandated to auction it. Options are slaughterhouses, animal welfare groups and other interested farmers who wish to keep the animal. However, we use our gewog’s Facebook page to call for the owners to take their animals. Our last option is to auction them because it is becoming a challenge for us to manage them,” said Tshering Dorji, Chairperson, Dzongkhag Tsogdue, Paro.
“Most of the animals that we have in the shelter here weren’t claimed by any owners. Few of the owners come to us complaining that it is time to let animals graze in the fields after the paddy harvest, but we have no choice but to follow the by-laws or regulations,” said Sonam Choden, Jangsa-Juka Tsogpa, Dopshari Gewog.
Authorities are also calling on livestock owners to take responsibility for their animals to reduce stray issues and maintain the beauty of Paro town and its surrounding areas.
Namgay Wangchuk, Paro
Edited by Sonam Pem
