Stray dog menace : Centre directs states to cover 70% stray dogs under sterilisation programme : Minister

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday said the Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has issued an advisory to states asking direct urban local bodies to establish Animal Birth Control units and undertake large-scale sterilisation programmes covering at least 70% of stray dogs.

Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry and Dairying, S P Singh Baghel informed Lok Sabha that the sterilization programme is an ongoing process being implemented by urban local bodies. As per the advisory issued by the Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying to states, reiterated that sterilisation of stray dogs is central to dog population management, he said.

The Minister said the Ministry has revised the existing Scheme for Birth Control and Immunization of stray dogs and stray cats, which is being implemented through the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) from the current financial year.

Financial assistance of up to Rs 800 per dog and Rs 600 per cat is provisioned for SPCAs (Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animal) and local bodies to conduct ABC (Animal Birth Control) programmes.

The AWBI is providing assistance for establishment of small animal shelters up to Rs 15 lakh and Rs 27 lakh for large animals to urban local bodies and SPCA and recognized Animal Welfare Organizations.

In addition, under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP), the sub-component Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD) provides States with support for the procurement of anti-rabies vaccines.

"The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), under the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP), is implementing the National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE), launched on 28.09.2021, with multiple initiatives aimed at achieving rabies elimination, the Minister said.

He also said that the issue of stray dogs falls under the purview of state governments, with local bodies mandated to manage related matters. To ensure humane and effective dog population management, the Central Government has framed the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. These Rules align with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) standards for the Capture–Neuter–Vaccinate–Release (CNVR) approach. Under the Rules, Local Bodies are responsible for implementing sterilization and vaccination programmes in collaboration with animal welfare organizations, he said.