Centre backs sterilisation as ‘key to stray dog population mgmt' even as Delhi govt says it's not enough

The Print

11 hours ago

A three-judge bench of the apex court has reserved its order on interim pleas seeking a stay on its 11 August ruling which directed authorities to round up all the stray dogs in Delhi-NCR and shift them to shelters. While many sections of society had lauded the 11 August order, the animal welfare community has been continuously protesting against it.
This comes days after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi government, told the Supreme Court that although sterilisation was initially an option, it wasn't enough to curb the 'stray dog menace'. 'Sterilisation does not stop rabies,' Mehta had said.
New Delhi: The central government informed the Lok Sabha Tuesday that in the past year, it has issued two advisories 'reiterating that sterilisation is central to stray dog population management'.
Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying S.P. Singh Baghel, in a written reply to a question by Congress's Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, also submitted that between 2022 and August 2025, a total of 12 advisories had been issued regarding the implementation of Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules.
Notably, the latest advisory on a 'Revised Animal Birth Control (ABC) module for street dogs population management, rabies eradication and reducing man-dog conflict' was issued on 11 August, the day of the SC ruling.
The issue of stray dogs falls under the purview of state governments, the Centre emphasised, adding that local bodies are mandated to manage related matters.
Of the two advisories with focus on sterilisation, the first was issued by the Secretary (Animal Husbandry and Dairying) to all Chief Secretaries on 11 November 2024. The second one, sent out on 16 July this year, directed Urban Local Bodies to establish ABC units and undertake large-scale sterilisation programmes, covering at least 70 percent of stray dogs.
The Centre's response further said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, under the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP), is implementing the National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE), launched in September 2021. The plan involves multiple initiatives aimed at achieving rabies elimination across the country.
The Centre also said it has revised its scheme for birth control and immunisation of stray dogs and cats, which is being implemented through the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI). Under the revised plan, financial assistance of up to Rs 800 per dog and Rs 600 per cat will be given to local bodies for conducting sterilisation, read its reply to Aujla.
However, these rates were revised in 2022. According to an advisory issued by the AWBI on 5 April 2022, the new rates were fixed at Rs 200 per dog for catching, admission to the ABC centre and relocation to the area from where the animal was captured, and Rs 1,450 per dog for pre-operative care, including medicines and feeding, surgery, and post-operative care with medicines and feeding.
'These revised minimum rates will remain applicable until individual state governments decide to fix their own rates for carrying out the ABC programme,' the advisory read.
The Centre's reply also mentions that a one-time grant of Rs 2 crore is earmarked for state-run veterinary hospitals to strengthen infrastructure such as surgical theatres, kennels and recovery units.
In addition, the AWBI is extending support for the establishment of animal shelters, providing up to Rs 15 lakh for small animal facilities and up to Rs 27 lakh for large animal facilities to urban local bodies, societies and recognised animal welfare organisations.
However, according to the AWBI website, no shelter homes in Delhi have been allotted any grants since 2007, except JBF India Trust in 2014-15.
ThePrint reached AWBI chairman Dr Abhijit Mitra for comment via calls. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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