Even as the stray dog menace continues to haunt the city, the civic body resumed the Animal Birth Control programme on Tuesday.
Dogs can be seen roaming the city in groups, feasting on large piles of garbage. Many morning and evening walkers have been chased by the dogs and several instances of dog bites have been reported from various parts of the city.
“The city Corporation is determined to find a lasting solution to the street dog issue this time. The doctors of the Mannuthy veterinary college are doing the sterilisation process. The Corporation will provide support, including catching the dogs, medicines and will take care of post-surgical care,” said Mayor Ajitha Jayarajan
Animal welfare groups have also approached the Corporation to carry out ABC programme.
We would consider the proposal too, she said.
The Mayor said around 40 dogs were captured and sterilisation done on 10 on the first day.
END programme
The early neutering and rehabilitation (END) programme was taken up by the Corporation before. But it was not very successful.
Animal activist group, PAWS, had also launched a similar initiative.
During an eight-day drive conducted in 2014, 120 dogs were sterilised. However, the initiative could not be continued as there was no support from the authorities, said PAWS representatives.
“Our proposal for conducting mass sterilisation of street dogs is pending with the Corporation for long,” said PAWS co-ordinator Preethy Sreevalsan.
Though the State government decided last year to open 50 animal birth control centres in veterinary hospitals, no effective steps were taken. The call for mass culling by various quarters was disturbing, said the activists.
No short cuts
There were no short cuts to check the street dog menace.
Mass sterilisation, vaccination and effective management of garbage were steps to be taken to control proliferation of the dogs, they said, adding that the authorities could not escape from the responsibilities.
