Latest news with #AnimalBirthControl
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Blanket permission to Compassion for Animal Welfare Association to carry out stray dog vaccination
The Local self government department has accorded blanket permission to the NGO Compassion for Animal Welfare Association (CAWA) to carry out mass stray dog vaccination and public awareness campaigns in local bodies across the State, in view of the increasing number of stray dog bite cases. The CAWA had last year requested the government for permission to carry out these activities. The CAWA is already coordinating with the LSGD and the Animal Husbandry department in some districts and in some local bodies in Animal Birth Control (ABC) activities. The Animal Husbandry department provides the vaccines while the local bodies bear the costs for catching the dogs and for the vaccination process. The involvement of CAWA had addressed the shortage of personnel to carry out these activities. The latest permission will enable the extension of their activities to more areas. In recent months, the State government has been taking several steps to address the increasing number of stray dog bite cases. The LSGD had recently issued an order allowing local bodies to carry out euthanasia of diseased stray dogs by making use of the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Husbandry Practices and Procedures) Rules 2023. However, last week the Kerala High Court deferred the implementation of the order. Minister for Local Self Governments has been demanding the Union government to amend the ABC rules as, according to him, it slows down the progress of ABC activities due to specific conditions regarding the facilities for sterilisation of stray dogs as well as for housing them after sterilisation.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
‘Greatest friends of humans': Delhi HC calls for policy on community dogs
Calling dogs 'the most loved animals' and 'great friends of human', the Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Delhi government and other stakeholders to submit suggestions for the rehabilitation of community dogs and measures to mitigate human-dog conflict. The High Court on May 21 called for a meeting to formulate a policy for the rehabilitation of community dogs at an institutional level A bench of Justice Mini Pushkarna issued the direction after reviewing the Delhi government's action taken report, which stated that in compliance with the high court's May 21 order, three meetings had been held. However, stakeholders pointed out that setting up institutional shelters for community dogs would require amendments to the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. For now, they noted, sterilisation is the only viable option. While taking note of the sensitivity and magnanimity of the matter, the High Court on May 21 requested the Chief Secretary to call a meeting with stakeholders for formulating a policy for the rehabilitation of community dogs at an institutional level, so that they can be gradually removed from the streets. The government had annexed the action plan formulated by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) for ABC Programme in Delhi (2025-2030), which estimated that sterilising the city's 8 lakh dogs would take approximately eight years. 'Delhi has 20 ABC centers and each ABC centre has the capacity to operate 15 dogs per day,' it read and added that each centre can sterilise 375 dogs per month, amounting to 7,500 surgeries per month. The AWBI had also proposed developing veterinary hospitals as ABC centres and providing them funds for surgery and kennels by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) or the NGO's to look after the dogs. The judge observed that the proposed solution of sterilisation was ineffective, as several animal birth control centres were non-functional and 78 veterinary hospitals were not operational and thus directed the stakeholders to file their suggestions by September 17, the next date of hearing. 'Sterilisation isn't working at all. It's not the solution. Dogs are the most loved animal of the world and a great friend of humans. It should be ensured that dogs are protected and have to be given dignity,' justice Pushkarna remarked. She added, 'Either dogs are at home, or shelter. Not on roads eating garbage. Humans and dogs both are suffering. Neither humans are safe, nor dogs.' The court was dealing with a plea filed by Pratima Devi, an octogenarian who challenged the MCD demolition of a makeshift shelter in Saket where she cared for over 200 dogs. Devi's petition argued that the MCD razed her shelter without prior notice. In response, the court had granted interim protection in January 2023, allowing her to cover the shelter with tarpaulin as a temporary measure. On Monday, the MCD sub-committee discussed a series of steps—ramping up focused sterilisation drives, setting up a shelter in Tehkhand and microchipping animals.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Manifold increase in rabies deaths in two years: Centre
Though the number of presumptive cases of human rabies has come down from 4,885 in 2022 to 1,079 in 2024, the number of rabies deaths has increased manifold to 180 in 2024 from 22 in 2022, the Animal Husbandry Ministry informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (August 5, 2025). In 2024, the highest number of deaths was reported from Tamil Nadu (43), followed by Karnataka (42) and Andhra Pradesh (39). In 2023, 121 people died of rabies and 2,223 presumptive cases were reported. In a written answer to a question by Member of Parliament from Kerala Adoor Prakash, Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry S.P. Singh Baghel said that municipalities are mandated to control the stray dog population. 'Municipalities are implementing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme to stabilise the population of stray dogs,' he said, adding that the Animal Birth Control Rules, issued by the Centre, emphasise neutering and anti-rabies vaccination as primary tools for dog population management. ABC programme implementation 'The Central Government and the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) have issued several advisories to ensure effective implementation of the ABC programme. Recently, on July 21, 2025, the Secretaries of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) issued a joint advisory to all Chief Secretaries, urging the implementation of the ABC programme and the development of requisite infrastructure,' he said. The Minister added that financial assistance of up to ₹800 per dog and ₹600 per cat is provisioned for Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and local bodies for conducting ABC as per the 2023 Rules. 'A one-time grant of ₹2 crore is provisioned for State-run veterinary hospitals for developing infrastructure, including surgical theatres, kennels, and recovery units,' he said.
Hindustan Times
02-08-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Prayagraj plans largest animal birth control, anti-rabies drive
Sangam city is set to launch its largest-ever animal birth control (ABC) and anti-rabies vaccination (ARV) drive to tackle the growing menace of stray dogs in urban areas. Newly constructed Animal Birth Control Centre in Rasulabad area of Prayagraj . (HT PHOTO) From high-end colonies to densely populated localities, the stray dog issue has become a daily concern for residents. Municipal authorities admit a steady rise in dog bite cases and road accidents involving stray animals, heightening public concern—especially children and senior citizens. According to some estimates, more than 700 dog bite cases occur daily within the city limits of Prayagraj alone. New infrastructure to support ABC-ARV efforts In a proactive move, the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has set up an Animal Birth Control Centre in Rasulabad. A second facility in the same area has recently been completed and is scheduled to begin sterilization and vaccination operations starting August, said officials. Constructed by the Construction and Design Services (C&DS) wing of Jal Nigam at a cost of ₹1.85 crore, the new center includes modern amenities such as an operation theatre, pet salon, kennels, community kitchen, park, pet shop, office, preparation room, dormitory, and pantry. 'The center is capable of sterilising up to 32 animals per day,' said Rohit Kumar Rana, project manager, C&DS. Targeting 75% of stray dog population As part of its broader strategy, PMC is initiating a citywide ABC-ARV campaign, aiming to cover 75% of the estimated 1.13 lakh stray dogs in the next six years. The municipal corporation has already started the tendering process through a Request for Proposal (RFP) to bring onboard a qualified agency or NGO to implement the project. 'This initiative is critical to ensure the safety and well-being of city residents,' said Dr Vijay Amritraj, veterinary and animal welfare officer, PMC. 'We plan to sterilise and vaccinate the stray dog population in a phased and systematic manner.' Annual goals and standards To meet the programme's objectives, around 18,000 surgeries will need to be performed annually within PMC limits, including providing adequate post-operative care. All procedures will follow standards prescribed by the Animal Welfare Board of India. As of now, 4,540 dogs have been sterilised and vaccinated in Prayagraj, according to municipal data. Role of implementing agency The selected agency or NGO will be required to deploy: At least two qualified veterinary doctors (each with experience in 500+ ABC-ARV surgeries), four paravets, four dog catchers and drivers for designated dog vans. While PMC will provide the dog vans, the operating agency will bear all operational, maintenance, fuel, repair, and wage costs. All dog bite cases must be reported to the nearest government hospital. The implementing agency must also maintain a mortality rate below 0.5%, with evaluations conducted after every 500 surgeries, said officials.
Time of India
01-08-2025
- Health
- Time of India
2.8L stray dogs sterilised & vaccinated during spl drives
Lucknow: As part of its animal welfare and urban safety initiatives, the state's urban development department (UDD) has successfully sterilized and vaccinated over 2.8 lakh stray dogs across all 17 municipal corporations till date. The target was achieved during comprehensive Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Anti-Rabies Vaccination programmes, said officials They said that these programmes, which have seen 1.25 lakh sterilizations in 2023-24 and 1.19 lakh in 2024-25, are designed to humanely manage the stray dog population and curb the spread of rabies. The UDD has established 17 permanent ABC centres and is adding two more in Lucknow and Ghaziabad, backed by a Rs 32.7 crore state govt allocation—a first in secretary of the UDD, Amrit Abhijat, said, "Through our ABC, anti-rabies vaccination, and pet licensing programs, we are working diligently with urban local bodies to promote safer communities and humane animal management. The establishment of modern ABC centres and the issuance of 5,333 pet licenses this year reflect our dedication to comprehensive urban solutions. "
