Dealing with a dogged problem

KKerala, with nearly 9 lakh stray dogs, will find it almost impossible to comply with the Supreme Court’s recent order directing states to relocate these animals from public spaces to dog shelters.

Last week, the Court directed local authorities across the country to “remove every stray dog ​​found on the premises of an educational institution, hospital, sports complex, bus stand/depot or railway station and transport such animals to a designated shelter after necessary sterilization and vaccination under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.” The court also said that “the collected stray dogs will not be returned to the place where they were taken.” This is a clear departure from the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, which set out a ‘catch-sterilise-vaccinate-return’ policy.

challenges

Although the decision seems sound in terms of public health and safety, it carries the risk of not being implemented. There are huge infrastructure and human resource demands required by this work. Stray dogs coexist with humans in public places where food is available. Removing a pack from an area does not solve the problem because the gap will quickly be filled by another group of dogs. There are also behavioral aspects of stray dogs that need attention. Often affectionately called community dogs, these dogs offer companionship to many people, which explains why there are so many protests against the order. As stated in the rules, there are neither sufficient number of animal handlers nor qualified veterinarians to catch stray dogs.

Kerala attracted particular attention with the three-member Bench’s order citing media reports of stray dog ​​bites across the state, including the case of biting of a Class 3 student at a government lower primary school in Panamaram, Wayanad. The verdict also mentioned reports of dog bite incidents at Ernakulam General Hospital, KSRTC bus stand in Kottayam and railway station in Kannur.

Despite this challenge, every move to set up utility facilities, be it septage and waste treatment plants, mobile towers or ABC centers for dogs, has been met with stiff public resistance in Kerala. In such a scenario, it would be really difficult for civic bodies to find safe and isolated places to set up dog shelters, given the scarcity of suitable land and public opposition against such units. It would also be difficult for local institutions to establish ABC centers to conduct surgical procedures, as stated in the rules.

The problem is not limited to Kerala. It is not possible for any local institution in the country to cover the costs of caring for and feeding dogs in these centers on its own. The order stipulating that dogs collected from public areas should not be returned after surgery effectively transferred custody of them from the streets to local authorities.

The large expenditures required to establish animal shelters and surgical centers, capture and vaccinate animals, provide vehicles to transport animals, and operate the centers can also disrupt efforts by civil agencies to combat rabies and dog bites. Without sufficient human and financial resources at their disposal, civil institutions cannot be expected to come forward with enthusiasm to take up this challenge.

The decision also curbed the Kerala government’s latest attempt to sterilize stray dogs, vaccinate them and send them back to their original places as prescribed in the ABC Rules.

Compatibility issue

The court warned that any reported non-compliance with its orders will be examined seriously. He said erring officials would be subject to “penalties/consequences, including but not limited to initiating suo moto contempt proceedings.” However, there are many practical problems in implementing the decision; This means there is a risk that the Court’s instructions will be unintentionally violated by civilian institutions.

While acknowledging that dog bites are on the rise and rabies-related deaths are regularly reported from the US, a workable approach could be taken to deal with the threat. In Kerala, where the population density is three times the national average, moving dogs from public places to dog shelters is easier said than done.