Thiruvananthapuram, July 30: The Kerala Government is preparing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the euthanasia of stray dogs suffering from incurable diseases such as rabies, as part of a broader package of reforms aimed at addressing the growing challenge of stray dog attacks while ensuring compliance with animal welfare laws and Supreme Court guidelines.
The proposed SOP was discussed during a high-level meeting chaired by Local Self-Government Minister K. M. Shaji, with officials from the Local Self-Government, Animal Husbandry, Health, Revenue, Police, and Law Departments participating. The government said the protocol would clearly define the circumstances under which euthanasia may be carried out, the veterinary procedures to be followed, documentation requirements, and safeguards to prevent misuse. The guidelines will be aligned with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, and recent directions issued by the Supreme Court and the Animal Welfare Board of India.
The euthanasia protocol forms one component of a wider stray dog management strategy that the state plans to introduce in the coming days. Other proposed measures include mandatory pet licensing, licensing norms for households keeping multiple dogs, annual anti-rabies vaccination drives by local bodies, regulated community feeding practices, and the establishment of at least one dedicated stray dog shelter in every district. Authorities are also considering identifying government land for shelters and expanding sterilisation programmes through additional Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres.
Officials said the reforms are intended to balance public safety with animal welfare, following an increase in stray dog attacks and public concern over rabies. The government stressed that euthanasia would be permitted only in legally specified situations involving animals that are terminally ill, rabid, or pose a confirmed public health risk, and would not be used as a routine method of population control. Sterilisation, vaccination, and scientific management of stray dog populations will remain the primary long-term strategy.
The draft SOP is expected to be finalised along with other amendments to Kerala’s stray dog management framework. Once implemented, the government believes the measures will strengthen disease control, improve public safety, reduce dog bite incidents, and establish a more coordinated and humane system for managing stray animals across the state.
News as reported
