THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In response to the growing stray dog attacks in the capital, Thiruvananthapuram corporation has intensified the vaccination drive in all hundred wards. The civic body has renewed the MoU (memorandum of understanding) signed with CAWA (Compassion for Animal Welfare Association) to intensify the vaccination drive. Recently, a rabid dog attacked and wounded 38 people in busy areas of the city, triggering panic.
According to a recent survey carried out by the corporation in collaboration with CAWA, the stray dog population has declined in the capital. The survey showed that there are around 8,679 strays in the corporation limits and that around 42% of them are sterilised. According to officials, mass sterilisation is the only way to resolve the issue. After the suspension of the ABC programme by the Kudumbashree Mission in 2021, the corporation’s sterilisation drive has come to a halt.
With the lack of facilities becoming a major hurdle, the civic body is gearing up to tie up with more NGOs to undertake ABC. Health standing committee chairperson Gayathri Babu said that only a minimal number of surgeries are happening.
A meeting will be held soon with animal welfare organisations and NGOs to take inputs and their services for effective stray dog management, she said. “Currently, only the hospitals at PMG and Pettah are carrying out sterilisation. We are looking forward to tie-ups with NGOs having mobile surgery units for the ABC programme. We are also planning to set up a rehabilitation facility for stray dogs. All these will be rolled out after the meeting with animal welfare organisations,” Gayathri said.
She said the civic body has intensified the vaccination drive.
“Last year, we completed vaccinations in around 48 wards. Now, the NGO has begun vaccination drives in the rest of the wards. This is a continuous process, which should be carried out every year. Sterilisation is the only way to address the aggressive behaviour of dogs,” Gayathri added.