Stray dog shelter plan stalls in Kerala; government to launch new action plan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government's shelter project aimed at controlling the stray dog menace has failed, as local bodies were unable to find suitable land for the initiative. The government is now preparing a new action plan to address the growing stray dog problem in the state.

Housing hundreds of dogs at a single shelter was also found to be impractical. Opposition from local residents, difficulty acquiring land, and financial constraints emerged as major challenges to the project.

There have also been delays in setting up additional Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres under the supervision of local bodies. Kerala currently has 19 ABC centres. Proposals were made to establish more centres in Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram and Kannur, but several of them faced opposition from local residents. Residents have demanded that the centres be located away from densely populated areas.

A meeting chaired by the minister will be held after Onam to finalise the new action plan. The government also plans to seek the support of NGOs and other voluntary organisations in implementing the programme.

Hotspots to be identified

1. The new move is to identify stray dog hotspots within the jurisdiction of each local body and prepare a plan to control the population.
2. Provisions, including fines for abandoning dogs on the streets, will be implemented. Licensing for pet dogs will also be made mandatory.
3. New regulations will be introduced for the breeding, sale and vaccination of dogs at breeding centres.
4. Local bodies will have to bear the cost of the project. A separate census of pet dogs, stray dogs and other categories will also be conducted.
5. The action plan will have five levels, including creating a framework for control, addressing public attitudes and ensuring protection during dangerous situations.

Rs 28 lakh needed to set up one ABC centre

Setting up a single ABC centre is estimated to cost around Rs 28 lakh. The previous government had allocated Rs 2 crore with the aim of establishing centres across all 152 blocks in the state, with local bodies expected to provide additional funds. However, the plan did not make significant progress. Kerala is estimated to have around 5 lakh stray dogs. Last year, only 9,747 dogs were sterilised, while 53,401 dogs were vaccinated.