Haryana: Rabid dogs to be put to sleep

Pradeep Sharma

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Chandigarh, October 26

As part of its multi-pronged action plan to control the stray dog menace, the Haryana Government has decided to put to sleep rabid, critically ill and fatally injured dogs. This is part of a strategy that also involves catching, transportation, vaccination and release of sterilised dogs to control their population.

Canine population control plan

• A dog census to determine their population in a particular area
• District-wise plans for dog population management
• Area-wise animal birth control measures to cover at least 70 per cent dogs in a targeted area

Meanwhile, a sub-committee comprising two veterinary officers and a representative of an animal welfare organisation will specify reasons in writing for the “mercy killing”.

To implement the strategy, a two-tier institutional mechanism comprising the State Implementation and Monitoring Committee and the Local Animal Control Monitoring Committee has been put in place.

“The committees under the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2023, have been set up to review, coordinate and monitor the animal birth control programme with the ultimate aim of controlling rabies and stray dog population across the state,” Vikas Gupta, Secretary of the Urban Local Bodies, said in a notification.

While the 14-member state-level committee will be headed by the Principal Secretary, Urban Local Bodies, the district municipal commissioner concerned will head a five-member local committee, which will arrive at an estimate of the number of dogs in its territorial limits by conducting a census. Dog-bite cases will also be monitored by the committee.

“The infrastructure will be designed in such a manner so as to carry out area-wise animal birth control to cover at least 70 per cent dogs in a targeted area,” the notification added.

The state-level committee will prepare a district-wise plan for dog population management across the state and enlist animal birth control implementing agencies that have the requisite infrastructure and are recognised by the Animal Welfare Board of India.