THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government will, in the next 10 days, roll out a comprehensive suite of amendments to strengthen stray dog management, with reforms expected to mandate pet licensing, introduce licensing norms for households with multiple dogs, and accelerate the establishment of dog shelters in all districts.
This was decided at a high-level meeting chaired by Local Self-Government Minister K M Shaji on Thursday and attended by officials with the LSGD, animal husbandry, revenue, health, law and police departments.
LSGD principal director Divya S Iyer told TNIE that amendments to the Kerala Municipality Act and Kerala Panchayat Raj Act are in the final stages. “Only minor nomenclature-related queries from the law department remain. We are expecting the amendments to come into effect within 10 days.”
A major focus of the reforms is the creation of a statewide network of stray dog shelters. “We have to identify suitable land for setting up at least one in each district. Collectors have been notified and fresh orders will be issued immediately. We have already identified land in one or two districts. In the remaining districts, we are looking for locations that are less population dense,” Divya said.
She said the government is exploring plantations and land close to forest fringes as part of its long-term strategy. “We are in talks with the forest department to identify one acre plots bordering forests or unused government land. Finding land has become the biggest challenge due to public resistance. Some decisions will have to be taken beyond the local body level,” she added.