Canine terror leaves Kerala government wary

The demand of mass culling of stray dogs that were ferocious and dangerous in nature has once again gained momentum in Kerala.
Image used for representational purpose.
Image used for representational purpose.

KOLLAM: The demand of mass culling of stray dogs that were ferocious and dangerous in nature has once again gained momentum in Kerala. This follows after a 45-year-old man was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs at Pulluvila, near Thiruvananthapuram. 


Meanwhile, the State government has found itself in a slippery wicket in the matter as it will have to hold back this pertinent demand especially after the recent observation of the Supreme Court that ‘stray dogs also have a right to live’. To make matters even trickier, the apex court while considering a petition related to stray dog in March, 2017, had directed the state to file an affidavit that will keep in view that ‘there has to be protection for the stray dogs in accordance with the law’.


“We don’t know what to do. On one side we have the Kerala Municipality Act 1994 which empowers the secretary of a local body to cull stray dogs (Section 438); on the other, is the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001, which says that only those stray dogs that were incurably ill and mortally wounded can be euthanised.

In case of dogs having high probability rabies, it would have to be isolated till it dies a natural death. Above all, the Supreme Court has taken a stern stance against the culling of stray dogs. If we do anything out of public outcry, it will amount to contempt of court,” said an official with the Local Self Government Department.


This dilemma also gets reflected in the two contrasting statements made by Minister for Local Administration K T Jaleel on two separate occasions. The minister, who had responded, after the death of Siluvamma at Pulluvila on August, 2016, that stray dogs would be culled has found to reserve his statement in May 2017 (at the Assembly) as he says that Animal Birth Control (ABC) is the only solution to control the menace.

Meanwhile, advocate V K Biju, appearing for petitioner Jos Sebastian (who had filed a petition seeking compensation in the incident in which his wife, a MNREGA worker, was killed after she was bit by a stray dog) at the Supreme Court said that some had misled the apex court to believe that ABC is better solution 
than culling.

“It’s an eyewash. How could a programme like ABC which mutes the reproductive capacity of dogs could prevent dog bites? At the court the government’s counsel is itself in confusion. They now says that they will rehabilitate the dogs. But the point is that dangerous dogs indeed have to be culled. This latest incident will be brought to the notice of the court,” said Biju.

Casualty report

In the past five months, more than 2,000 people were bitten by stray dogs in Kerala
On an average, 14 people are bitten on a daily basis

According to LSG Minister  K T Jaleel, 2,116 people were bitten by strays since January this year
As many as 1,959 incidents were reported from panchayats, while 157 were reported in urban areas

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