A meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Monday decided to launch a coordinated effort to tackle the stray dog menace that had assumed menacing proportions following the death of a woman who was attacked by canines at Poovar last week.
The meeting resolved to step up the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme for sterilisation of stray dogs from September 1. Trained dog catchers would be deployed to capture the animals and special ABC camps would be organised at district farms every month.
District Collectors would be in charge of the campaign. The sterilisation programme would be organised with assistance from panchayats and animal welfare organisations. Veterinary doctors in government service would be supplemented by contract vets to provide care and protection for the animals brought to the camps. The meeting decided to register animal welfare organisations.
Mr.Vijayan directed officials to identify trained dog catchers and press them into service at the earliest.
Health Minister K.K.Shylaja, Animal Husbandry Minister K.Raju, Home Secretary Nalini Netto, IT Secretary M.Sivasankar, and Additional Chief Secretary Rajeev Sadanandan were among those who attended the meeting.
