Parties agree on killing Rabid Dogs in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: An all-party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Thursday decided to cull rabid and aggressive stray dogs in the state.

Mr Chandy said he had instructed concerned officials to ensure anti-rabies and sterilising mechanisms in all veterinary hospitals. It was the responsibility of the local self-government institutions to control stray dogs.

The meeting felt that there was no legal hurdle in culling dogs posing a threat to the people. It was decided that the Delhi model would be followed where anti-rabies vaccines were given to dogs.

Steps for the same would be taken in the veterinary hospitals which will also have facilities for sterilisation. The meeting also decided to utilise the central funds worth Rs 5 crore for the anti-rabies vaccination programme.

Earlier, Law Secretary B.G. Hareendranathan had opined that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, has provisions to cull dangerous stray dogs.

He also said that the Act has made it clear that the local body authorities can take steps to destroy unwanted animals.

There are over five lakh stray dogs in the state. This includes 25,000 in Thiruvan-anthapuram alone, it was stated at the meeting.

Animal rights activist and member of Kerala State Animal Welfare Board M.N. Jayacha-ndran told DC that as per law, only a trained veterinary surgeon can identify an aggressive dog after watching it for ten days.

The law stipulated that euthanasia can be done only for incurably ill or mortally wounded dogs. Such dogs would not survive for ten days.

The law clearly stated that a dog cannot be given euthanasia in the presence of other dogs. These dogs should be captured before giving euthanasia to them, he said.

He alleged that the data provided by the government on the number of stray dogs and dog bites was wrong. Bites by all animals except snakes were being reported as dog bites, he said.