The Maharashtra government has ordered the removal of stray dogs from public places like schools, hospitals, bus depots, railway stations and sports complexes. These orders have been given to all municipalities, municipal corporations and nagar panchayats.
According to a new government resolution (GR) issued on Monday, it is mandatory for local bodies to take immediate action.
According to the GR, the local administration is required to catch stray dogs, neuter them, vaccinate them and then shift them to a shelter. They cannot be released again in the same public place, it has been stated.
Along with this, municipal bodies are required to create designated ‘feeding zones’ for dogs in the community. Action will be taken against those who feed dogs outside these zones.
Every local body has been made mandatory to start a helpline so that citizens can register their problems regarding stray dogs. These complaints will be recorded and a state coordinator has been appointed in Navi Mumbai to monitor whether the rules are being implemented properly.
In view of possible dog bite incidents, hospitals have been made mandatory to maintain adequate stocks of anti-rabies vaccine and immunoglobulins. The government order warned that officials who fail to comply with the orders may be held personally liable.
The order comes just weeks after the Supreme Court issued a suo motu order on November 7. The court had sought immediate removal of stray dogs from public places, as well as their sterilization, vaccination and rehabilitation under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023.
However, animal welfare experts say that the practical situation may pose major challenges in implementation. For example, Mumbai has over 90,000 stray dogs. But there are only eight shelters to house them. Setting up new shelters will be a big challenge for the local administration.
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