The proposed animal birth control programme meant to contain the stray dog population has failed to take off in East Godavari. Soon after a series of dog bite incidents claiming several lives, the state government issued directions to administer anti-rabies vaccine to dogs and also keep adequate stocks of anti-rabies vaccine meant for human beings in government hospitals and health centres.

Nearly 35,000 dogs including 16,000 at Kakinada and 9,000 in Rajahmundry and the remaining in six municipalities with an exception of Tuni municipality and also in rural areas, were vaccinated.

The municipal corporation, the Animal Welfare Board of India and an NGO, Jeeva Raksha Animal Welfare Society, entered into a tripartite agreement in March 2011 for administration of anti-rabies vaccine, as well as an animal birth control programme.

Though, the agreement was to carry out both vaccination and ABC simultaneously, only vaccination was done.

The agreement for ABC specifies sharing of the amount in the ratio of 50 per cent by the Municipal Corporation and AWBI.

According to AWBI specifications, Rs.445 is to be paid for carrying out either castration or sterilisation on each dog.

The NGO is learnt to have asked the civic authorities to catch and supply stray dogs to help them carry out ABC, to ensure transparency in implementation.

The civic authorities are not doing so. They apprehend audit objections.