The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will be opening two more Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres to control the street dog population in the city and tackle rabies. There are presently three ABC centres in Chennai — at Lloyds Colony, Pulianthope, and Kannammapettai. There are 16 special vehicles with five veterinary staff and a driver each for capturing stray dogs in Chennai. A recent survey by the civic body has found that there are 57,336 stray dogs in the corporation area and hence, the new ABC centres in the city.
In a recent review meeting, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagan Singh Bedi had directed officials to take note of hotspots in the city where there were complaints of street dogs chasing and biting pedestrians and people on two-wheelers. The Greater Chennai Corporation recently sterilised 7,018 stray dogs and the Commissioner has directed officials to hold meetings on the stray dog issue every two months.
Meanwhile, the Kerala government has also announced plans to establish more Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres. With many instances of people being attacked by stray dogs reported from across the state, state Minister for Local Self-Government MB Rajesh told reporters on Sunday, September 11, that officials have been directed to set up ABC centres in 152 blocks in the state.
On September 9, the Supreme Court while heard appeals against a 2015 Kerala High Court judgment permitting the culling of stray dogs. The bench emphasised that it is essential to find a solution to the issue of stray dogs biting people while maintaining a balance with people who feed stray dogs. It observed that rabies-infected dogs could be put in a care centre by authorities concerned. The court heard the matter after an advocate from Kerala sought urgent listing of the plea following the death of a girl in Kerala three weeks after a stray dog bit her. The apex court called for a status report by the Justice Siri Jagan Commission, constituted in 2016 by the Supreme Court to look into complaints of dog bites.