The mauling to death of an 11-year-old boy by street dogs at Muzhappilangad in Kannur on Sunday has brought back into focus the animal birth control (ABC) activities in the State including a massive vaccination drive as well as sterilisation drive that were taken up last year following increasing cases of stray dog attacks.
As per data from the Local Self-Government department and the Animal Husbandry department, which jointly carried out the drive, 4.7 lakh dogs, including 4.38 lakh pet dogs, were vaccinated from September 1 last year till Sunday.
From 2016 to August 31, 2022, a total of 79,859 stray dogs were sterilised, while 9,767 stray dogs were sterilised from September 1, 2022 to March 31 this year. Minister for LSGIs M.B. Rajesh said on Monday that stray dog attacks had reduced considerably following the drive launched in September last year, but some local bodies were lax in continuing with the operations.
. Currently, 19 animal birth control facilities are operating in the State. However, there has been much opposition from the local population. Incidentally, the two ABC centres at Koppalam and Pappinisseri, near Muzhappilangad, where the stray dog attack happened on Sunday, were closed down in 2021 following local protests. From 2017 to 2021, a total of 8,114 dogs were sterilised at these two centres.
Vaccine availability
Although there was a reported shortage of stray dog vaccines last year, the Animal Husbandry department on Monday maintained that it now has enough stocks. The High Court order barring Kudumbashree from being part of the ABC programme has been a major setback for the State’s effort to control the number of stray dogs. The Supreme Court also did not entertain the State’s plea last year for permission to cull rabies-affected and violent stray dogs.
The departments have also blamed the amended Animal Birth Control Rules notified by the Union government this year, as per which a veterinarian deployed at the ABC centre should have completed at least 5,000 ABC surgeries. The amendment also mandates that the ABC centre should have an incinerator and CCTV camera facilities, while the operation theatre should be air-conditioned. Mr. Rajesh said that ABC activities can be taken up effectively only if these rules are revised.
