THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government’s decision to euthanise stray dogs has drawn backlash from animal welfare groups, which are now gearing up to challenge the move in the Kerala High Court.
Animal rights organisations have approached the Animal Welfare Board of India against the decision, which they alleged would lead to the escalation of violence against canines, which are already at the receiving end of increased brutality in the state. According to People for Animals (PFA), nearly 30 cases of animal cruelty and dog killings were reported in Thiruvananthapuram alone in the past two weeks.
Activists termed euthanasia an inhumane and ineffective solution for population control, especially at a time when cities like Bengaluru were adopting compassionate measures such as feeding programmes – where they are offering cooked rice, vegetables and chicken – to reduce stray dog aggression and improve public safety.
“Brutality against stray dogs is on the rise across the state,” PFA secretary Latha Indira told TNIE. “We are getting numerous calls of animal brutality. People have become hostile towards stray dogs and are already on a killing spree. Such government decisions will aggravate the situation. We have informed the AWBI and will be challenging the decision in court,” she said.
The state government on Wednesday had announced it would invoke Section 8 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Husbandry Practices and Procedures) Rules, 2023, which allowed euthanasia of animals in special cases.
However, M N Jayachandran, an animal rights activist and former member of the Kerala State Animal Welfare Board, said the euthanasia provision is used for mass culling of animals during disease outbreaks like bird flu.
“I feel the government is trying to cover up its failure. The ABC Rules came into effect in 2001. Yet after nearly 25 years, the state has been unable to operate even 10 animal birth control (ABC) centres for managing stray dogs,” said Jayachandran. “This is purely an election stunt and poor animals are going to pay for the failure of our governance,” he said.