KANNUR: Kannur district panchayat on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bangalore-based Animal Rights Fund for the sterilization of stray dogs in the district.
The MoU aims at sterilizing between 250 to 500 dogs on an average a month. A temporary sterilization centre has been set up at Pappiniserry grama panchayat veterinary hospital for the project.
The district panchayat will soon establish a permanent facility at Padiyoor in Iritty which will include a veterinary hospital, sterilization centre and a kennel for the protection of the animals.
The Mou was signed between Kannur district panchayat secretary M.K. Sreejith and Animal Rights Fund managing trustee Dileep Bafna in the presence of district panchayat president K.V. Sumesh and vice-president P.P. Divya. Mr Sreejith told DC that the project would commence later this month.
“Operations will start when we complete constructing a temporary set up at Pappinissery,” he said. “We are giving '1,450 for sterilizing a dog. For those dogs which require euthanasia, we are giving '150 each,” he said.
The project is being implemented at a cost of Rs 2.98 crore in association with grama panchayats, municipalities and the corporation. Monitoring committees will also be formed from grama panchayat to district level to make sure the project is implemented in accordance with ABC Dog Rules 2001.
The first phase of the project is being implemented at Kannur corporation, Pappinissery, Mayyil and Azhikode where the stray dog menace is high.
