Stray dogs terrorising streets to be culled; Kerala govt issues order

THIRUVANTHAPURAM: Panchayats and municipalities will now be permitted to cull stray dogs that are a threat to humans. The government issued an order on Tuesday permitting this as per the Supreme Court's directive. Detailed guidelines will be issued soon.

Earlier, permission was given to kill wild boars. There are about 9 lakh stray dogs in the state. The Supreme Court ordered the killing of dangerous stray dogs on May 19. However, the local bodies did not have permission to implement the verdict. The local body department believes that proper action can be taken within a month.

15 lakh people bitten in 5 years

In the last five years, 15,02,737 people were bitten by stray dogs in the state. 122 people died of rabies. The number of people getting bitten is increasing every year. In 2021, 2,21,379 people were bitten. In 2025, it increased to 3,69,272. The number of deaths, which was 11 in 2021, increased to 33 in 2025. The most people were bitten in Thiruvananthapuram - 58,108.

As per the recommendations of the Siri Jagan Committee, only 43 people were given compensation. The maximum compensation is Rs. 1.5 lakh.

Killing should be done humanely

1. Only rabid and aggressive dogs should be culled

2. The primary policy is to kill them humanely by injecting them with medicine

3. Dogs can be killed in areas where attacks are common

4. The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Animal Birth Control Rules should be followed

5. Coordination between local institutions and health and veterinary departments should be ensured

6. Sterilisation programs should be implemented in parallel