TVM with highest dog bite cases! Sterilisation project fails; Rs two crore lapses

MALAPPURAM: The move to expand the 'Portable Animal Birth Control (ABC)' project — which involves transporting stray dogs to mobile units for sterilisation — had reportedly failed. Funds amounting to two crore rupees, earmarked for implementation across seven districts, lapsed. The funds could not be utilised due to shortcomings in the project's execution. This year, 218,000 people in the state were bitten by stray dogs, and 14 deaths were reported due to rabies.

The Animal Husbandry Department had aimed to extend the project to the districts of Kollam, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kannur, Palakkad, and Kottayam during the 2025-26 financial year.

Mobile units were introduced to address the challenges—such as difficulties in securing land and infrastructure, as well as local opposition—associated with establishing permanent ABC (Animal Birth Control) centres. Following surgery, the dogs receive 45 days of post-operative care and an anti-rabies vaccination before being released back to the locations where they were captured.

The country’s first portable unit was launched in the Nedumangad Municipality in October 2025. Even after a year, the project remains in its pilot phase.

Since 2021, 1.72 million people have been bitten, and 136 individuals died from rabies. In 2021, there were 221,379 reported bites; by 2025, this figure had risen to 369,272. This year, Thiruvananthapuram recorded the highest number of bite victims, with 34,458 cases.

Kollam district recorded the highest number of deaths, with four fatalities, alongside 25,101 reported bite cases.