THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state’s stray dog vaccination programme, critical for the prevention of rabies, is dragging on as a majority of the local bodies have failed to earmark funds or submit projects for the purpose. That despite the state government having announced a mass vaccination drive in September. Adding to the woes, the portable ABC (animal birth control) unit project -- proposed as a solution to tide over protests against the setting up of static ABC centres -- have run into trouble.
According to the data with the animal husbandry department, 489 of the 1,200 local bodies in the state have allocated funds for the stray dog vaccination project. The impending election declaration is expected to further delay and disrupt the overall stray dog management initiatives. Minister for Animal Husbandry J Chinchurani told TNIE that the department has made available vaccines for the stray dog vaccination drive.
“The local bodies should step up and implement the programme actively. We don’t know why many local bodies are yet to submit the vaccination project,” she said.
At the same time, data with the local self-government department showed that the state witnessed nearly one lakh dog bite incidents within a period of 10 months, from Oct 2024 to July 2025. Currently, the state has only 17 operational ABC centres approved by the Animal Welfare Board of India.
The state government move to strengthen its ABC programme by introducing portable units has faced major setbacks, with the first-ever unit being set up in Nedumangad municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district -- implemented with CSR funds from the Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) -- suffering fresh trouble.
The plan was to make the facility operational by September-end. “It’s a first-of-its-kind project in the country. Efforts are in full swing to make the facility operational. We have identified certain flaws in the delivered unit. We have to perfect its design as we are planning to expand it at the block level across the state,” Chinchurani said.
According to sources, the surgery tables in the unit are unsuitable and have to be replaced. “We need more equipment in the portable unit,” the minister admitted. “We also need wheels for hassle-free transportation. We are hoping to make this facility operational before the election declaration,” she said.
The government has decided to establish portable ABC units in all block panchayats that do not yet have permanent centres. For the current financial year, the animal husbandry department has earmarked `2 crore for the same.
Meanwhile, local self-government bodies have been directed to appoint the staff necessary, including dog catchers, for the ABC centres.
