THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In view of the growing atrocities against stray dogs, and the rise in incidents of dog-animal conflict, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has amended and notified ABC Rules 2023 under the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animal Act 2001. The state Animal Husbandry Department has directed the district authorities of the Local Self Government Department (LSGD) to immediately implement the amended rules which mandate the formation of the local, district, and state-level ABC monitoring committees to ensure strict compliance with new ABC Rules, which came into effect across the country from March 10.
A senior official of the Animal Husbandry Department told TNIE that the AWBI has made the rules more specific and stringent. As per the amended rule, the local bodies or the animal welfare organisation carrying out the ABC programme has to obtain approval for each project from the AWBI.
“The new rules envisage procedures for capturing and sterilisation and the ABC centres meeting all the standards will be allowed to carry out ABC programmes. Only some of the districts in the state have such facilities.
CCTVs are a must and the authorities will have to maintain all the records including organ inspection records,” said the official The official said that as per the new norms veterinary surgeons who have done at least 2000 surgeries should be appointed for the job. “All this will be an issue for the local bodies and funding is going to be an issue as neither the state nor the Centre is allotting any grand for Animal Welfare Organisations or local bodies for stray dog management,” the official added.
As per the new rule, the local bodies will be held responsible for violations and conflicts between stray dogs and animals. The programme’s success will depend upon only if 70 percent of the stray dog population is sterilised and immunized effectively with a yearly vaccination drive by the concerned authorities, said the order from AWBI.
Key amendments
Incurably ill and mortally wounded dogs as diagnosed by a team appointed by the local animal birth control monitoring committee shall be euthanised during specified hours in a humane manner by a qualified veterinarian.
The local authority may establish an Animal Helpline. Either the project in charge or the Animal Welfare Organisation shall be responsible for recording and resolving conflict cases that may be reported.
The reproductive organs removed from male and female dogs shall be stored and counted fortnightly or monthly or as often as decided by the Local Animal Birth Control Monitoring Committee It shall be the responsibility of the Resident Welfare Association, Apartment Owners Association, or Local Body’s representative of that area to make necessary arrangements for feeding community animals residing in the premises or that area involving the person residing in that area or premises as the case may be, who feeds those animals or intends to feed those animals and provides care to street animals as a compassionate gesture.