THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was not long ago that demands to cull stray dogs triggered a campaign #BoycottKerala on social media. Though culling was ruled out as an option, the campaign did sully the image of the state in the global tourism sector.
Realising the adverse impact such drastic steps on stray dogs may have on the sector, the Thiruvananthapuram District Tourism Promotion Council DTPC has re-launched an Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme in the popular tourist destinations of Kovalam and Varkala.
It was the success of the sterilisation and vaccination programme undertaken in Kovalam last year that has prompted authorities to introduce it in Varkala which is in the grip of an acute stray dog menace.
The ABC programme for Kovalam and Varkala, rolled out in association with a volunatary organisation Street Dog Watch, was launched early this month.
“Under the six-month project, a total of 270 dogs would be sterilised and vaccinated This includes 180 stray dogs from Varkala and 90 from Kovalam. The target is to sterilise and vaccinate at least 30 stray dogs per month in Varkala and 15 in Kovalam,” DTPC secretary Prasanth T V said.
Industry Welcomes Move
According to stakeholders in the tourism industry, such an initiative from the Tourism Department would help, at least to some extent, in curbing the stray dog menace in tourist spots.
“Sterilisation programme for stray dogs in crowded tourist spots has been a long-pending demand of the industry. However, effective waste management is also an issue which needs to be addressed alongside,” said Sanjay Sahadevan, a resort owner in Varkala.
According to the stakeholders, the practise of foreign tourists bringing stray dogs from nearby areas to tourist spots during their period of stay has compounded the problem.
“Many foreign tourists bring the stray dogs to the beach and after taking care of them for a week or so, abandon them. This has caused a huge surge in the stray dog population in beaches which affects the smooth movement of other tourists,” said a hotelier.