Authorities are planning to strengthen the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme to check the stray dog menace in Alappuzha town and other parts of the district.
Following an increase in the incidents involving street dogs in the Alappuzha municipal area, District Collector A. Alexander recently chaired a meeting to chalk out a strategy to control the stray dog population. Mr. Alexander directed the officials concerned to initiate measures to tackle the problem by effectively implementing the ABC programme.
At present, the district has two ABC centres functioning at Mavelikara and Kanichukulangara. Officials said more such centres would be set up in the district. The setting up of an ABC centre in the Alappuzha municipal area is in the final phase and it is expected to be made operational soon.
Anti-rabies vaccination
“The implementation of the ABC programme will be strengthened. The help of animal welfare NGOs too will be sought. Further, the Animal Husbandry Department officials will visit coastal areas and administer anti-rabies vaccines to dogs,” said an official, adding that in the case of sterilisation of dogs the respective local bodies would have to bear the amount.
The stray dog menace has become a major issue in the Alappuzha municipality and several other parts of the district in recent times. In September 2019, stray dogs attacked and injured more than 30 people in Alappuzha town in a span of a few hours. Following this, several measures were announced to tackle the problem, but stray dog numbers remain high.
Waste management
According to officials and experts, apart from implementing the ABC programme, proper waste management is also the need of the hour as it will help address the issue to a large extent. One of the main reasons for the increase in stray dog numbers is the dumping of garbage and slaughter waste in public places. The stray dogs feed on the waste dumped in the open.
As part of the ABC programme, sterilised dogs will be provided special care before being released back at the place of their capture after affixing ear tags for identification.
