In view of the growing menace of stray dogs in the country, the Central government has notified Animal Birth Control Rules 2023. According to these rules, animal birth control programmes, sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs will be carried out by local bodies, municipalities, municipal corporations, and panchayats.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in this regard, these rules have been notified vide GSR 193 (E) on March 10, 2023, in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and the Control (Dog) Rules-2001 in the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023.

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Under the rules, the animal birth control programme should be run by an AWBI-accredited organization specifically accredited for the animal birth control program. Along with this, the list of such organizations will be made available on the website of the Board. It will also be updated from time to time.

The Rules have been addressed by the Supreme Court guidelines in Writ Petition No. 691 of 2009 between the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) and the people. The Supreme Court has specifically mentioned in various orders that dogs cannot be transferred.

According to the existing rules, a massive campaign will be launched to control the population of stray dogs with the help of local bodies. ABC has been given the responsibility to ensure that cruelty is not meted out. Animal welfare will be given priority in the entire process. Local body ABC and the anti-rabies program will be jointly implemented. It also lays down guidelines to prevent human-dog conflicts without culling them.

The Central government has issued a letter to the heads of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Urban Development of all the states and union territories regarding these rules. Hence a request is made to the local bodies. They should implement the rules accordingly, with the implementation of the new rules, the municipalities will also get relief in getting rid of the people from the menace of dogs.

According to the data, till November 22 last year, on an average 6,000 people have been bitten by dogs every day, although such cases have definitely reduced in the lockdown caused by the Corona epidemic, if the last four years are assessed, then between 2019 and 2022 stray dogs 1.6 crore cases of dog bites were registered, that is, more than 10,000 people were bitten by stray dogs every day.

According to the data given in the Parliament in the winter session last year, the cases of stray dog bites are increasing continuously in the country. At the same time, according to the livestock census of 2019, there are about 1.53 crore stray dogs in India, and they are roaming the streets and hunting people. The maximum number of dog bite cases is in Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and West Bengal.