It's a dogged battle in the district

KOCHI: The need for animal birth control programme and licensing has escalated after 1,354 dog bites cases were reported in Ernakulam in 2015. Animal Welfare Board member B Pradeep Kumar said that pedigree breeds were responsible for many of these attacks.
Of the 477 strays rescued in 2014 by NGO Kerala Animal Rescue Ministering & Management Association (KARMMA), 116 were pedigree dogs, including St Bernard, rottweiler, labrador, great dane, doberman and dalmatian."Owners abandoning ill/old pets have become a routine. Such dogs tend to attack people more as they find it difficult to cope with their new surroundings," said Kumar who is also the president of KARMMA.
"In case of male strays aggressive behaviour is seen during the mating season, while in females, it is seen during or after pregnancy. We need a zero-garbage policy to eradicate the problem," said Dr Soorej K, a veterinarian.
Meanwhile, mayor Tony Chammany said licensing and microchipping will be made mandatory once the corporation's animal health package is launched. Of the 6,498 cases registered in Ernakulam in 2014, 2,732 took place within the corporation limits. "Within a month, the centre at Brahmapuram will be inaugurated, exclusively for the Animal birth control and anti-rabies vaccination (ABC-ARV) programmes. We will also ensure that owners who dump pets are penalized," he said, adding that a pet boarding station too would be set up here to house abandoned dogs.
Killing of dogs which is illegal and still prevalent is of no use, said experts. The Animal Birth Control Rules (ABC rules) formulated under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 can be used for killing only rabies-afflicted, incurably-ill or mortally-wounded dogs.
On February 2, 2015 the Supreme Court questioned the authority of municipal bodies to pick dogs from the streets and kill them because they are a public 'nuisance'.
"The ABC programme will be made more effective," said veterinary surgeon Dr Kishore Kumar KJ, who is one of the two principal investigators of the corporation's project.