THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Five years after its announcement, the proposed multi-specialty veterinary hospital and Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre, initiated by the city corporation to manage the stray dog population, remains only on paper. The civic body announced plans for this first-of-its-kind facility in 2021. Despite a growing stray dog crisis and mounting complaints, the corporation is struggling to strengthen its ABC programme - the primary method for controlling the stray dog population.
The plan to revise the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Thiruvallam facility by incorporating features from a similar Chennai model continues to drag on.
“We need to revise the DPR in accordance with the ABC Rules, 2023. The original proposal was based on the 2001 rules, which are no longer applicable. The Greater Chennai corporation’s model is ideal; they established six ABC hospitals in a short period, while we are struggling to set up one. We have requested permission to visit the Chennai facilities,” said a corporation official.
According to the official, Chennai’s centres are notable for their efficient design and minimal noise and environmental impact. The local civic body has earmarked Rs 4.5 crore for the Thiruvallam project, though officials acknowledge the final cost may rise. The Greater Chennai corporation constructed its facility for approximately Rs 7 crore, giving it the capacity to sterilise around 30 dogs per day.
“Once fully operational, the facility could sterilise the majority of the city’s stray dog population within six months. It will also serve as a regional asset for neighboring local bodies,” the official added.
Following complaints and a Supreme Court directive, the civic body temporarily relocated hundreds of stray dogs to a private shelter. However, officials emphasize that relocation offers only short-term relief.
“Vacated territories are quickly reoccupied by other dogs as long as food sources, particularly public waste, remain accessible,” the official explained. “Sheltering provides only temporary relief. The only long-term solution is to scale up the ABC programme to cover the entire dog population quickly.”
The corporation currently spends Rs 50 per dog per day on temporary sheltering, though officials note that the true cost of feeding, maintenance, and veterinary care is considerably higher, making large-scale sheltering impractical.
