Chennai: Case filed against vet after stray dog dies post ABC surgery; autopsy confirms rabies

CHENNAI: Animal activists filed a police complaint on Tuesday against Dr Yazhini, a veterinary doctor at the Kannamapet Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre, following the death of a stray dog during post-surgery treatment on Monday.

The activists also urged the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to revoke its decision restricting volunteers from visiting the kennels at ABC centres.

E Martina, an animal activist, expressed outrage over the death, accusing untrained doctors of performing botched surgeries. “We filed complaints with GCC’s Veterinary Officer J Kamal Hussain, but no action was taken. Following our protest at the Ripon Building in 2025, then-Commissioner J Kumaragurabaran permitted us to visit the ABC centres. Through the NGO Smiles of Strays, we monitored dogs undergoing ABC procedures for 6 months and achieved zero post-surgery deaths by collaborating with the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary (BMAD) and Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS). However, following our recent demonstration near the Madras High Court, the GCC stopped letting us inside,” she said.

Echoing her concerns, dog rescuer Lional Praveen alleged, “The government allocates Rs 1,650 per ABC surgery. Of this, Rs 450 is paid to the veterinarian, while the remaining amount is meant for food and post-operative medication. However, proper food and medicines rarely reach the animals.”

Clarifying the incident, an official from the GCC Veterinary Department told DT Next, “The surgery was performed on November 4, and the dog was scheduled for release on Monday morning. However, it turned aggressive, bit its own surgical site, tore open its sutures, and exposed its internal organs. Staff and attendants immediately intervened around 7:30 am to clean and re-suture the wound, but the dog unfortunately succumbed to its injuries.”

Following the complaint, police personnel inspected the Kannamapet ABC centre. “We suspected the dog was infected with dumb rabies, and the post-mortem report released on Tuesday evening confirmed the diagnosis,” he added.

Over the past six months, out of 30,000 ABC surgeries performed, post-mortem evaluations at the Madras Veterinary College confirmed that over 25 dogs that died after surgery were infected with dumb rabies. The official added, “We’ve restricted access only to selective volunteers who actively cause impediments to GCC operations.”