Also asks for strict action against those abandoning animals; 6,276 attacks reported in state this year
The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR) has approached the Supreme Court of India seeking permission to “captivate and euthanise” suspected rabid and extremely dangerous dogs.
KeSCPCR called the stray animals a serious threat to children’s lives. The petition comes after an 11-year-old autistic child Nihal was mauled to death by a pack of free-ranging dogs in Kannur on June 11, 2023. The autopsy report of the child’s body reported bite marks and scratches.
Also read: Urban Menace: India’s policies on free-ranging dogs risk public health
There are increasing cases of attacks by strays and authorities are failing to protect the lives of people, KeSCPCR said. The ongoing issues are a “serious violation of child rights,” the application stated.
The central government will soon formulate a law on the stray dog menace, Union Minister for Animal Husbandry Parshottam Rupala said on June 27, 2023.
The application by KeSCPCR also asked the SC to direct state authorities to take strict action against the people responsible for the irresponsible abandonment of stray dogs.
In 2022, a 12-year-old had died in Kottayam district. The state has reported 6,276 cases of dog bites through June 2023.
The application was filed for the well being of children and to protect any violation of their rights, the KeSCPCR said in its plea. It invoked provisions stated under Child Rights Act, 2005 and KeSCPCR Rules, 2012 for the appeal.
The commission has stated it has received many complaints regarding the “nuisance of stray dogs” and “plight of children” costing them their lives. It called stray dogs “vermin as they gather, attack thereby becoming dangerous”.
In a Lok Sabha session in 2019, it was claimed the dog population had dropped from 17.1 million to 15.3 million in seven years, the application mentioned. However, independent studies speak otherwise.
Also read: Urban Menace: We should lower our intolerance towards stray dogs
Advocate Jaimon Andrews, representing the commission, said many dog numbers go unaccounted for. There is a lack of proper animal birth control programs to limit the population of stray dogs, he said.
“For example, in some areas, dogs are often left unsterilised, which leads to more puppies and an increasing population of stray dogs. Secondly, many people in India often abandon their pets on the streets when they are no longer wanted, or they let their dogs roam free without proper supervision. This leads to an increase in the stray dog population. Poor waste management is another reason,” he said.
Stray dogs scavenge for food near waste dumping areas, which are not adequately managed, resulting in a population increase, it said. A lack of awareness among people regarding responsible pet ownership or dangers of abandoning pets adds to the crisis.
These animals can pose a threat to public safety by attacking humans or other creatures, creating fear among children and damaging property. Thus, culling or confining them to animal facilities can reduce the risks of such incidents to an extent, the KeSCPCR said.
State government and local administration systems have failed to offer complete solution to the issue, the child rights body added.
Also read: Dogs do not belong on streets — the current menace is a result of abandonment and human perfidy
“As part of the stray dog nuisance prevention plans, sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccinations shall be carried out. However, even after sterilisation and anti-rabies vaccination, they are left in the street and since they do not have proper arrangements for food and shelter, they become a threat and nightmare to children and the common people,” the application stated.
In 2019, 5,794 stray dog attacks were recorded in Kerala, followed by 3,951 cases in 2020 and 7,927 incidents in 2021. In 2022, the number of cases increased to 11,776.
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There are increasing cases of attacks by strays and authorities are failing to protect the lives of people, KeSCPCR said. File photo: Vikas Choudhary / CSE.png)
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