CHENNAI: As part of a statewide initiative to conduct a large-scale sterilisation and immunisation drive for stray dogs, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has announced the appointment of 76 district-level animal welfare officers across Tamil Nadu.
The move comes as the Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board (TNAWB) prepares to launch a mass anti-rabies vaccination campaign in collaboration with corporations, municipalities, and town panchayats in areas outside Chennai.
According to a recent government order issued by the department, the newly appointed officers will be responsible for ensuring humane conduct of events such as jallikattu, taking legal action in cases of animal cruelty, and organising public awareness programmes on dog sterilisation, rabies prevention, and responsible pet ownership. The appointments will be made on a contract basis for one year, with the possibility of extension based on requirements. The appointments are planned to be completed by first week of December.
The order further specifies that the 76 posts will comprise 38 district-level animal welfare officers and 38 veterinary surgeons experienced in animal birth control surgeries.
To support this initiative, the department has proposed the establishment of 38 new Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres across the state, each with shelter facilities capable of housing up to 100 dogs. An additional 100 ABC centres are planned without shelter facilities to focus on sterilisation and immunisation procedures.
In addition, TNAWB has initiated procurement of 2.4 lakh RFID (radio frequency identification) tags to microchip stray dogs. “The veterinary surgeons will carry out ABC surgeries, provide post-operative care, and administer necessary medical treatment and vaccinations. Supporting staff for operating these ABC centres will also be appointed soon,” an official said.
