THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The recent rabies deaths in Kerala have sparked concerns across the state. However, even more troubling is the poor progress in sterilising stray dogs and rabies vaccination coverage in many districts.
Data from the animal husbandry department for the 2024-25 fiscal, the latest, reveals that four districts – Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Idukki and Wayanad – recorded zero sterilisations of stray dogs. Kerala reported around 3.17 lakh dog-bite cases in 2024.
Despite the worryingly high number of cases, local bodies across the state are struggling with gaps in infrastructure, stiff resistance from the public against Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres and strict rules and regulations in the ABC Rules to manage the growing stray dog population in the state.
As per the data, 15,767 dogs were sterilised and 88,744 dogs vaccinated last year.
Animal Husbandry Minister J Chinchu Rani told TNIE that sterilisation was the only practical solution to address the crisis. “The stiff mandates in ABC Rules are a huge handicap for us. We met the Animal Welfare Board of India and the authorities concerned at the Centre for relaxations. They have agreed to authorise our centres,” she said.
Sources said Kerala has around 15 ABC centres, while work on another 15 is nearing completion. Moreover, land to set up five more centres has been identified.
“We are facing stiff resistance from the public. It’s a real issue. We are bound to comply with the ABC Rules and, as per rules, after vaccination and sterilisation, we have to release the dogs from where they are caught,” said LSGD Minister M B Rajesh. He said some districts are faring better than other, but there are districts where lack of infrastructure is a real issue.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the rabies deaths this year, the animal husbandry department is planning to come up with an advisory to intensify dog vaccinations in the state.
“The vaccination drive will be intensified immediately. We will be issuing strict directives to scale up vaccination of stray dogs. There is lack of consistency in the efforts because of other responsibilities,” Chinchu Rani said.
