The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to make the “unchecked” stray dog menace within the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation limits a public health and safety issue for city residents in the run-up to the 2025 local body polls.
BJP district president Karamana Jayan said that stray dogs posed a pertinent threat to students, with schools reopening in June. Mr. Jayan alleged that the Corporation’s stray dog control measures had failed, and the Left Democratic Front (LDF)-controlled local body was apathetic to the safety of citizens.
Councillors’ protest
On May 23, BJP councillors would protest in front of the Corporation office. He also questioned the efficacy of the anti-rabies vaccine stocked in government hospitals in the city. The stray dog menace has been a cause of serious concern for city residents. The district reports the highest number of dog bite cases in the State.
Stray dogs have ambushed scores of pedestrians, including schoolchildren, and menaced two-wheeler riders, resulting in dog bite injuries and road accidents. Free-roaming dogs were also a threat to early-morning walkers and cyclists. Packs of strays have taken over public parks, making it perilous for citizens to walk their pet dogs.
Seven die of rabies
Moreover, in the past month, at least seven people died of rabies in the State, including three children. The deaths raised questions about the efficacy of the vaccine and the control of stray dogs in Kerala.
According to Health department figures, 1,00,504 dog bite injuries were reported in the State until April 30, with Thiruvananthapuram topping the list with 15,718 cases. A 2001 Central law banned the culling of strays and emphasised the need for animal birth control programmes.
Corporation’s stance
The Corporation stated that two newly refurbished ABC centres in Pettah and Vandithadam are now fully functional in the city. The facilities feature 100 kennels, modern surgical tables, and state-of-the-art animal waste disposal systems. The Corporation has also accorded administrative sanction to build a new ABC centre at an estimated cost of ₹2.75 crores.
As of now, the Pettah ABC centre conducts 120 birth control surgeries on strays every month. Moreover, the ABC centres are stocked with anti-rabies vaccination for dogs. It has launched a ₹30-lakh scheme for vaccinating stray dogs in the city.
So far, the Corporation has contracted two veterinarians and two dog-catchers for the ABC project. The municipality is expected to increase its numbers significantly in the coming months.
In 2024-25, the ABC centres conducted 1,194 surgeries. Municipal workers administered anti-rabies vaccination to 6,103 dogs. The Corporation claimed that the stray dog population in the city has plummeted from 10,230 in 2016-17 to 8,654 in 2023-24.
Published – May 21, 2025 07:27 pm IST
