Stray Dog Menace: DC Directs Strict Compliance with Supreme Court Guidelines

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Mangaluru : A meeting of the Dakshina Kannada District Level Committee was held on Friday, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Darshan H.V., to discuss the implementation of Supreme Court orders regarding the control of the stray dog menace. The DC issued strict instructions to various departments to curb the issue.

Census, Sterilization, and Containment:

The DC instructed the City Corporation, urban, and local administrative bodies to conduct a census of stray dogs within their limits and submit a report. Institutions like private and government educational establishments, hospitals, sports complexes, bus/railway stations, and tourist sites must catch stray dogs, perform Animal Birth Control (ABC)/sterilization surgeries, and relocate them to designated dog shelters. Furthermore, each institution must appoint a supervisory officer to ensure stray dogs do not re-enter their premises.

Controlling Feeding and Identifying Shelters:

The DC mandated that checks be conducted every three months to ensure that stray dogs are not residing inside or outside these institutional premises. Nodal officers must ensure that dogs do not find food at public places like bus stands, railway stations, and parks. The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) and other local bodies were directed to immediately designate specific locations and times for feeding stray dogs. Posters must be put up to inform the public, and legal action will be taken against violators. Tahsildars and Taluk Panchayat CEOs were directed to identify suitable land for establishing stray dog shelters.

Safety and Highway Management:

Educational institutions are instructed to organize awareness camps for students and staff on self-protection against animal bites, first aid, and immediate reporting protocols. The DC also ordered the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), PWD, and local bodies to relocate all stray cattle and animals from highways to shelters or Goshales. Highway patrol teams comprising transport, highway, and police personnel must be formed, and their helpline numbers must be displayed and linked to control rooms.

Action Deadline and Compliance:

The DC issued a strict instruction to all Taluk Panchayat CEOs to take necessary steps for the ABC surgery of at least 100 stray dogs in each taluk in the initial phase. Since an affidavit must be submitted to the Supreme Court by December 20, all departments must submit their compliance reports to the Nodal Department (Urban Development/Municipal Administration) by December 15.

Dr. Arun Kumar Shetty N, Deputy Director of the Animal Husbandry Department, informed the committee about the measures mandated by the Supreme Court on November 7. Zilla Panchayat CEO Narvade Vinayak Karbhari, Additional DC Raju K., and other key officials were present at the meeting.