On October 12, a three-and-a-half-year-old’s ear was bitten off by a stray dog at Chittattukara near Paravur.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
Even as stray dog attacks continue, the dog sterilisation programme of the Ernakulam district panchayat is not progressing as expected.
On Sunday (October 12), a three-and-a-half-year-old’s ear was bitten off by a stray dog at Chittattukara near Paravur. The child was taken to a nearby hospital and later shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery.
The district panchayat’s two Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres are struggling to carry out sterilisation initiatives owing to the lack of dog catchers. The two centres have the capacity to sterilise over 100 dogs every month, but they have not been able to meet the target. It is mostly pet dogs that are being sterilised, and it is done at a cost. The ABC centres are functioning in the Mulanthuruthy and Vadavucode block panchayats.
“The issue that we are facing right now is the lack of dog catchers. We have had to depend on dog catchers from Alappuzha, and now no one is willing to do the job. All pending dues for dog catchers till August have been settled. We have enough funds. But we are not getting dog catchers,” said district panchayat president Manoj Moothedan.
Each dog catcher is paid ₹500 per dog. “Perhaps the amount is not enough for them. During a review meeting, I was told that only 17 dogs could be sterilised at the ABC centre at Vadavucode last month. We are equipped to carry out 100 sterilisations per month, and if this figure is not met, then it does not serve the purpose of curbing the stray dog population,” Mr. Moothedan said.
In September, no street dog was sterilised at the ABC centre at Mulanthuruthy, according to sources. But a total of 53 owned dogs were sterilised at the facility during the same month. In October, as many as seven stray dogs and eight owned dogs were sterilised.
The salary of dog catchers is being met from panchayat funds. “The delay in prompt dispersal of payment to dog catchers is perhaps the reason. The problem arises especially since many panchayats are involved. Proper pooling of funds is not being done. The facility was set up not just to sterilise owned dogs, and there is an urgent need to step up the sterilisation programme,” said a member of the Mulanthuruthy ward.
Meanwhile, the newly set-up ABC centre at Thripunithura is ready to start operations and is awaiting a nod from the Animal Welfare Board of India.
Published – October 12, 2025 10:10 pm IST
