Latest news with #AnimalBirthControl
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
‘P4' shot to Guntur Municipal Corporation's Animal Birth Control programme
GUNTUR: Delhi Public School (DPS), in partnership with the Pioneer Group and the Chukkapalli Shankara Rao Charitable Trust, has pledged monthly financial support to the Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) for its Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme aimed at reducing the stray dog population. At a meeting in the Municipal Commissioner's office on Friday, DPS representative Chukkapalli Rakesh submitted a letter of commitment to Mayor Kovelamudi Ravindra and GMC Commissioner Puli Srinivasulu. The pledge supports the State's 'P4' public-private partnership initiative. The officials said complaints about stray dog attacks have increased, with approximately 30,000 stray dogs identified in the city. The GMC recently deputed a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon from the Animal Husbandry Department to oversee the programme. The partnering organisations will contribute `3 lakh per month for 10 months to support sterilisations and anti-rabies vaccinations. Officials plan to implement a systematic daily sterilisation schedule to reduce dog bites and rabies spread. Veterinary Assistant Surgeon Dr Venkateswara Rao and representatives from DPS, the Pioneer Group and the trust attended the meeting.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
Punjab government bans stray dog killings, enforces animal birth control policy
Listen to article In a landmark decision, the Lahore High Court has declared the killing of stray dogs through shooting, poisoning, or other inhumane methods as illegal and unconstitutional across Punjab. The judgment, delivered on May 22, 2025, in the case Eiraj Hassan & Others vs Government of Punjab, prompted the provincial government to formally implement the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Policy 2021. The policy lays out a comprehensive framework to humanely manage the stray dog population through vaccination, sterilization, tagging, registration, and rehabilitation. Advocates Eiraj Hassan and Altamush Saeed filed the petition, arguing that the widespread culling of stray dogs was a violation of animal welfare principles and basic human compassion. The court, in its ruling, emphasized that killing stray animals is in stark contradiction to constitutional rights, ethical standards, and international norms. Notably, incidents of inhumane dog killings were frequently reported from upscale housing societies and certain municipal jurisdictions, where even government personnel were found complicit. Despite the ruling, concerns remain over the lack of institutional response mechanisms. There is currently no centralized helpline to report stray dog concerns, and the Police Animal Rescue Centre remains largely inactive. The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) also faces serious challenges due to limited staff and resources. Advocate Altamush Saeed hailed the court's decision as a major success for animal rights in Pakistan. He pointed out that the Animal Rescue Centre was summoned to court but failed to appear. Nevertheless, departments including Livestock & Dairy Development and Local Government assured the court of full implementation of the ABC Policy. Under the new policy, stray dogs will be captured safely and non-violently and taken to animal shelters. Here, they will undergo vaccination and sterilization. Once deemed healthy, they will be tagged and released back into the same locality. Dogs that are terminally ill or severely injured will be euthanized humanely under veterinary supervision using sodium pentothal, a painless euthanasia drug. The policy also envisions the establishment of shelter homes in every tehsil, to be operated in collaboration with private welfare organizations or under government oversight. Monitoring committees at the district, tehsil, and provincial levels will ensure strict implementation. Experts note that while the court's ruling effectively bans cruel culling, on-ground enforcement of sterilization and the construction of shelters remain slow. Dr. Haider Ali Khan, spokesperson for the Livestock and Dairy Development Department, explained that municipal staff will be tasked with capturing dogs and transporting them to veterinary centers for sterilization, after which the animals will be returned to their localities. Veterinary hospitals across Punjab have been notified and prepared to participate. Although the policy offers a progressive and humane framework, its success hinges on inter-agency coordination, sustained community involvement, and adequate budgetary support. The government has committed to allocating dedicated funds for ABC implementation in the upcoming fiscal year. As Punjab shifts toward a more humane and scientific approach to managing stray dogs, civil society and local governments must now play a vital role in ensuring the policy is more than just ink on paper.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Kerala plans ABC programme for ‘vulnerable' Bonnet macaque to address conflict issues
Kochi: The Kerala forest department is set to implement an Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme for Bonnet macaque primates, which are classified as 'vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List, to address conflicts with humans. As part of it, a consultation meeting of experts was held in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. In conjunction with the ABC programme, the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) has started a study to assess the population of Bonnet macaque primates in forest fringes and human habitats in Kerala. The study is part of one of the 10 missions conceived by the forest department to address human-animal conflicts, specifically focusing on human-monkey conflicts. The forest department notes that more primates are found in markets based in towns, tourism spots and agricultural fields. "We have raised the primate issue and the need to conduct the ABC programme with the ministry of environment and forests and climate change. They have asked us to come up with a consultation report. In many parts of Kerala, especially in Wayanad, conflicts with primates are reported in large numbers. The issue in tourism spots is due to tourists feeding the primates. Despite the fault lying with humans, people don't understand it," said a department source. Studies have shown that feeding wildlife, including primates, exacerbates conflict incidents, behavioural issues, disease transmission, health issues for the animals and other adverse implications like road kills. Bonnet macaque was classified as 'vulnerable' by the IUCN in 2015 due to its population decline. "As per old Tamil literature, which is over 3,000 years old, Bonnet macaque used to live in human landscapes. In some places, their concentration is high, while in others, there is occasional crop raiding. The question is whether these primates are typical forest species or not. Their population is less in forests and they are not seen in deep forests. They are mostly seen in forest fringes and human habitats. Capture, sterilisation and translocation of the primates are not possible since a study found that they return to their old location," said KFRI wildlife biology department head Peroth Balakrishnan. A study carried out in Wayanad recommended that authorities impose a legal ban on public feeding of the Bonnet macaque and implement proper waste management. Since the species has been included in the vulnerable classification based on a study conducted in Karnataka, the govt will need to consider conservation aspects when taking up the ABC programme.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi govt to draft policy on community dogs: CM
A day after the Delhi high court directed the city government to formulate a policy for the rehabilitation of community dogs, chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday said that the government is working on the same and will involve all stakeholders to find a long-term solution. 'This is a problem for everyone — the public and the voiceless animals too. We are looking to create a platform which will cater to residents as well as those working for animals,' Gupta said while responding to a resident in her constituency during a public event. 'There are laws — dogs can't be kept in shelters and they cannot be removed from their streets. We are searching for a long-term solution, one that causes neither residents nor animals any distress. It is a policy matter...,' she said. On Tuesday, a bench of justice Mini Pushkarna, concerned over increasing instances of dog bites in the Capital, directed the city government to formulate a policy for the 'rehabilitation of community dogs at an institutional level' so that they can be gradually removed from the streets. 'A policy decision must be taken by stakeholders to ensure community dogs are rehabilitated and phased out from public roads and streets,' the court had said. The direction, however, experts said could be in contradiction to the law. Presently, agencies follow the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which prohibit relocation of community dogs, except for sterilisation and vaccination. A dog cannot be removed from any area in the city, barring for sterilisation purposes, the rules state. Once treated, dogs must be returned to their original locality. A detailed register needs to be maintained for each dog, and it needs to be released at the same place or locality from where it was captured. Animal rights activists say that forming a wider policy may not only be 'legally untenable but also impractical.' Instead, they called for the need to address larger issues in Delhi's infrastructure and the ABC programme. 'This is a mature stand by the Delhi chief minister. While judicial or executive officers may seek short-term, quick fixes, no government in Delhi till date has worked on strategies to resolve the problem scientifically in the long run — beginning with proper implementation of ABC rules, designating feeding points, more funds and proper awareness drives,' said Gauri Maulekhi, an activist and trustee at the People for Animals (PFA). Sonya Ghosh, another animal activist, who has filed several pleas in the HC on community dogs, said the government needs to first focus on improving the existing veterinary hospitals. 'There are already 77 veterinary hospitals under the animal husbandry department, but none of these hospitals is being utilised for the ABC programme. Until sterilisation is done effectively, we cannot find a solution,' Ghosh said, who has also worked with the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to designate feeding spots in the city. 'This is also another challenge — residents resist the need to set up feeding points which leads to conflicts.' Resident Welfare Associations too called for a balanced approach. Atul Goyal, who heads URJA United RWAs Joint Action — a collective body of RWAs, said identifying designated feeding spots in each neighbourhood would be a good start. 'The issue of community dogs has become very divisive, with people on both sides. The problem has arisen because of lack of implementation of norms for sterilisation and feeding points. In case of an extremely aggressive dog, some kind of shelter home may be developed but this cannot be done for all dogs. We don't want a society either where there are no dogs,' he said. Other RWAs meanwhile advocated for mass sterilisation and vaccination. 'This should be the top priority,' said BS Vohra, who heads East Delhi RWA joint front. 'If a significant population is sterilised now, the impact will become visible 2-3 years. In many places in East Delhi, it has become impossible to step out alone during night due to packs of dogs, but relocation is not a solution,' he said. Ashok Bhasin, who heads the North Delhi RWA, also said that the population of community dogs has increased significantly in north Delhi due to the alleged failure of the sterilisation drives by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. 'MCD also picks up dogs from one site and drops them at some other locations 1-2km away. There should be a priority to vaccinate and neuter the dogs,' he said. Sunayana Sibal, an animal activist, who has worked on the implementation of pet shop rules and ABC rules, said that ABC centres in Delhi are crumbling and require attention. 'Unless the ABC program is implemented in its true earnest, this issue is bound to fester and flare up in a cyclical manner,' she said.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Chennai corporation to launch vaccination, sterilisation drive for stray dogs after five year gap
After a five-year hiatus, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is gearing up to launch a large-scale campaign to vaccinate and sterilise over 1.80 lakh stray dogs across all 200 city divisions. The renewed initiative comes in the wake of mounting public complaints and rising incidents of stray dog attacks in the city. The last such campaign was carried out in 2020. Since then, the GCC has faced increasing criticism for failing to address the growing stray dog population and the associated public safety concerns. 'The planning is almost complete, and payments have already been made for procuring vaccines and essential drugs needed for the Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Anti-Rabies Vaccination (ARV) programmes,' said J. Kamal Hussain, Veterinary Officer of the GCC. 'We will outsource the manpower required to capture and vaccinate the dogs. The campaign will begin within a month.' According to official data, Chennai recorded 31,000 dog bite cases in 2023, and this year, around 2,500 new cases are being reported each month. 'Vaccination and sterilisation remain our only effective tools to prevent such incidents. Dogs suffering from other diseases or parasite infections will also be treated,' Hussain added. The issue was also raised in a recent council meeting, where opposition AIADMK councillors criticised the administration's handling of the situation. 'The State machinery is behaving like a sleeping giant. Chennai is falling behind other Indian cities in controlling its stray dog population,' said J. John, AIADMK councillor from Ward 84. 'In areas like East Avenue Road, Korattur Station Road, and Bajanai Koil Street, stray dogs are seen in large numbers. Of every ten dogs, the civic body manages to catch only two,' the councillor said. Residents from areas such as Tirumalai Nagar in Kolathur echoed similar concerns. 'Women and children are afraid to even walk on the streets,' said D. Neelakannan, president of the Tamil Nadu Alliance of Residents Welfare Associations. 'ABC and ARV initiatives should be conducted frequently and without delay.' A resident of Janakiram Colony in Arumbakkam highlighted the risks faced by two-wheeler riders. 'At night, dogs chase the headlights of vehicles, startling unsuspecting riders. Many now avoid interior roads as a precaution.' However, animal rights activists urged a more nuanced understanding of the issue. 'No dog attacks without provocation,' said one activist. 'The solution lies in regular and sustained vaccination and sterilisation drives. The real question is whether these are being implemented consistently,' the activist said. Experts also stressed the need for scientific studies on canine behaviour. 'Dogs are social but territorial animals. The government must allocate funding for behavioural studies and strengthen ongoing ABC and ARV programmes,' the activist added. With plans now in motion, Chennai residents are hopeful that the upcoming campaign will offer a sustainable solution to the city's stray dog menace.
