THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to strengthen stray dog management and ensure swift action, the state government has directed the Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) to constitute 24x7 task forces to respond to complaints, capture stray dogs from schools, hospitals, institutions and other crowded public spaces and shift them to designated shelters. Despite the efforts, the state is facing a major shortage of shelters posing a challenge to implementing the Supreme Court directions in full.
In a sweeping set of instructions issued by the Local Self Government Department (LSGD), round-the-clock task forces, which will be working in coordination with local police and veterinary officers, are the main highlight. The order also warns that officials will be held personally responsible for lapses in implementing the SC directions.
A senior official of LSGD told TNIE that the state has already submitted an action-taken report to the High Court on Friday and has begun implementing several of the directions. However, availability of shelters remains a major challenge.
“The shelter is a primary requirement. When we capture a dog from an institution or a place with a large public movement, we need somewhere to take it. Unless there is at least one shelter in every district, it will be difficult to fully implement the SC directives,” said the official.
At present, only limited shelter facilities are available in the state. A shelter is being operated by Thiruvananthapuram Corporation in association with an NGO.
“Kottayam is the only district where land for a shelter has so far been officially identified. Efforts are still ongoing in all other districts,” said the official.
The LSGD order specifically directs panchayats, municipalities and corporations to capture stray dogs in and around public places frequented by large number of people and shift them to designated shelters. As per the new LSGD order, the grievance-response mechanism should operate round-the-clock in every local body.
“LSGIs already have squads. The requirement is that it should function 24x7, with coordination with the police. During the day there will be staff, while at night security personnel or other staff can attend to complaints,” he said.
Local bodies have also been asked to establish dedicated helplines for reporting violations and take appropriate action on complaints. However, the lack of shelters could make it difficult for the task forces to respond to every complaint by capturing and relocating dogs.
The LSGIs have constituted local ABC monitoring committees. The committees will include experts who can consider euthanasia in legally permissible cases. The LSGD order permits legally authorised measures, including euthanasia of dogs suffering from rabies or incurable diseases or those certified as dangerous and aggressive, in accordance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023.
Key directives in the order
Local bodies have been directed to identify all government and private educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, stadiums, bus stands, depots, inter-state bus terminals and railway stations within their jurisdictions.
LSGIs should inspect boundary walls, fences, gates and waste-management systems and ensure that these institutions are secured against the entry of stray dogs.
Major institutions have to appoint nodal officers, with their details displayed prominently. Local bodies are also required to conduct regular inspections of institutional premises, including at least monthly inspections, to ensure that stray dogs do not congregate there.
The order prohibits feeding stray dogs on streets and directs local bodies to identify dedicated feeding points in every ward.
