THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala is exploring the successful Dutch model to tackle its stray-dog menace, with an expert committee recommending an adoption-driven approach as the key component of a sustainable, long-term strategy to control the street-dog population and eliminate rabies. The committee, comprising representatives of College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (CVAS), Mannuthy, the animal husbandry department, Kerala Veterinary Council and Grama Panchayath Association, has recommended making adoption a major tool for reducing the number of dogs in the streets, alongside sustained animal birth control (ABC), vaccination and improved waste management.
The proposed strategy draws on the European country’s approach, where adoption and responsible ownership form an important part of managing the stray-dog population. Kerala is considering incentives to encourage households to adopt stray dogs, including possible waivers of pet-licensing fees, free vaccinations and medicines through government veterinary hospitals, and other veterinary support.
“The government is examining various incentives for households adopting dogs, including free vaccination, medicines and treatment through government veterinary hospitals, possible waiver of pet-licence fees and free micro-chipping,” principal director of the local self-government department (LSGD) Divya S Iyer said.
“We are also exploring whether facilities such as dog shelters and kennels can be made available to adopters free of cost. We are examining the proposal of the expert committee as part of a broader effort to make adoption a key component of the state’s stray-dog management strategy. Adoption has been incorporated in the government’s euthanasia protocol,” she told TNIE.
The state is currently testing an adoption model in Adat grama panchayat in Thrissur, where puppies are being brought into the programme at an early age and subsequently made available for adoption. The government plans to assess the experience of the pilot before converting it into a formal policy and issuing a standard operating procedure.