KOCHI: The Kerala high court has stayed state government’s decision to entrust Kudumbashree with the project of castration of stray dogs.
Asking the government not to grant any funds to Kudumbashree for this purpose, the court also asked the government to inform whether Kudumbashree is approved by Animal Welfare Board of India and whether its members were given any training.
The court’s order came in the public interest litigation (PIL) registered suo motu by the court over the killing of a dog named Bruno at Adimalathura in Thiruvananthapuram.
Animal rights organizations had contended before the court that Kudumbashree members do not have necessary facilities or training to undertake castration of stray dogs.
During Monday’s hearing, the court said jumbo committees should be avoided when state animal welfare board is reconstituted. The court has also asked the amicus curiae to inform who all should be included in the state-level board. State government informed the court that it has begun taking steps to ensure that owners of pets and cattle obtain licence from local bodies as directed by the court. The court will hear the case again after two weeks.
