THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The rise in stray dog attacks and rabies deaths have yet again reignited debates over the state’s handling of the stray dog menace. Inefficiency of the local self-government institutions (LSGI) in utilising funds for implementing projects for stray dog management is cited as one of the main reasons for the rise in the attacks.
As per official data, over the past two years, the LSGIs spent only Rs 13.59 crore out of the total allocation of Rs 98.93 crore. Over 1.65 lakh people have been bitten by stray dogs in Kerala in the past five months, leading to 17 deaths. The other day, Kerala State Human Rights Commission pulled up the state government demanding an action plan for managing stray dogs.
Meanwhile, the LSGD is blaming the Central law for poor management of stray dogs. However, a social media post by bureaucrat N Prasanth in response to the Facebook post by LSG Minister M B Rajesh has further sparked debate. Prasanth countered Rajesh’s argument, stating that the state had broader legislative options.
Prasanth told TNIE that animal welfare is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, enabling states to pass context-specific laws. Citing Tamil Nadu’s legislation on Jallikattu and Kerala’s own 1968 law banning animal sacrifice, he said that Kerala could enact a specific law -- such as a Kerala Public Safety and Aggressive Animals Regulation Act -- to regulate or remove violent stray animals.
With mounting pressure, a meeting has been called by LSGD and animal husbandry department on July 16 to discuss solutions for the crisis. Minister Rajesh told TNIE that the state has sought legal advice multiple times to address the stray dog menace and there is no such provisions to bring a legal framework to kill aggressive dogs.
“There is a Supreme Court ruling and as per existing laws, the state can only sterilise and vaccinate stray dogs. The law also restricts killing of rabid dogs and as per rule, a rabid dog should be left to die. If it was legally possible, the state would have done it already. If there is a possibility for a legal framework, we will definitely do it. This law is applicable for every state in the country and none of the other states has come up with such a law for culling dogs,” said Rajesh.
Meanwhile, he further said that 18 more ABC centres would start functioning immediately. “The only legal option in front of the government is sterilisation and vaccination. We will continue our efforts to strengthen and do it on a large scale to bring the situation under control,” he added.
LACK OF POST-EXPOSURE VACCINATION OF RABID DOGS
Thiruvananthapuram: Veterinary experts have called for urgent legal amendments to manage aggressive stray dogs suspected of rabies. According to veterinary experts, the state is not following the existing protocol that mandates post-exposure vaccination -- a five dose anti-rabies vaccination for dogs exposed or attacked by a rabid dog (on the day of the attack, 3rd, 7th, 14th, and 28th day).
The Indian Veterinary Association (IVA), Kerala has recently written to the chief minister calling for urgent attention to the matter in the wake of rise in rabies deaths in the state. General secretary of IVA V K P Mohan Kumar told TNIE that giving a single dose vaccine for suspected rabid dogs and releasing them is one of the reasons for the spread of rabies among dogs and rise in rabies deaths.
“The LSGIs are unaware of this protocol and the current guidelines also mandate that suspected dogs should be quarantined in shelters for four months under observation. Dogs suspected of rabies and exhibiting aggressive behaviour or chasing people are potential sources of the virus. Therefore, the WHO recommends humane euthanasia, and if that too is not viable under current legal provisions, necessary amendments must be made to facilitate their removal,” said Mohan Kumar.