Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Mar 7: Acting on directives from the Supreme Court of India, authorities in Udupi district have begun identifying land across all taluks for the construction of shelters to house stray dogs and curb the growing menace.

Deputy commissioner (DC) Swaroopa T K said land has already been earmarked at several locations, including nine acres within Udupi city limits, 1.5 acres near the Kandavara dumping yard in Kundapur, one acre in Karkala, three acres at Shirva in Kapu, one acre in Byndoor, and three acres at Giliyari in Saligrama.

She was addressing officials after chairing a district-level committee meeting on tackling the stray dog menace held at the district commissioner’s office hall in Rajathadri, Manipal, on Saturday.

Directing officials to strictly follow the apex court’s guidelines, Swaroopa said the measures must be implemented from both humane and scientific perspectives. She instructed authorities to immediately establish shelters at the already identified sites in accordance with the prescribed standard operating procedures (SOP). These shelters must provide essential facilities such as food, water, shade, and veterinary treatment so that dogs infected with rabies, suspected diseases, or those exhibiting aggressive behaviour can be captured and relocated safely. She also directed that signboards displaying “dog shelter” be installed at these facilities.

“The Supreme Court has issued clear guidelines to protect the public from the problems caused by stray dogs. These directions must be implemented strictly across the district to control the menace effectively,” she said.

As per the court’s order, the concerned departments and local bodies must relocate stray dogs to shelters and intensify Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes. Authorities must also undertake vaccination drives and take all necessary preventive steps to stop the spread of rabies while prioritising public safety, she added, stressing that the measures should be implemented effectively.

The deputy commissioner also instructed local bodies and grama panchayats to identify designated locations for feeding stray dogs based on their population in each area. Food should be provided only at these specified places.

The Supreme Court has directed that feeding should not be carried out in any public places other than the designated spots. Ensuring that this directive is not violated will be the responsibility of the respective nodal officers, she noted.

Urban local bodies and other institutions in the district were also asked to prioritise the relocation of stray dogs and maintain proper sanitation. Swaroopa further directed officials to establish a helpline to receive complaints related to stray dogs and to treat such grievances from the public with seriousness.

Emphasising the importance of adoption, she called for awareness campaigns on dog adoption in the district. She pointed out that some other districts have organised dog shows to encourage adoption, and such initiatives have led to a higher number of people coming forward to adopt stray dogs. Officials were asked to provide details of dog adoptions carried out in the district.

Meanwhile, Swaroopa revealed that a survey conducted in the district’s urban areas has identified 440 stray dogs across 253 institutions, including government and private educational institutions, government offices, bus and railway stations, hospitals, and sports grounds.

She instructed officials to install signboards at the entrances of these institutions displaying the names and mobile numbers of the respective nodal officers, along with instructions asking people to contact them if stray dogs are spotted within the premises.

Authorities were asked to submit reports along with GPS photographs of these signboards within two days. Officials were also directed to submit details of nodal officers appointed in rural areas to monitor stray dog-related issues.

The meeting was attended by district panchayat deputy secretary S S Kadrolli, deputy director of the animal husbandry department Dr M C Reddappa, municipal commissioner Mahantesh Hangaragi, and officials from various departments.