The Central Government has informed the Parliament that local municipalities and corporations have been conducting Animal Birth Control (ABC) programs in an unstructured manner in non-compliance with the ABC directives.
Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Parshattom Rupala sent a note to Lok Sabha which stated, “There is information that the municipalities and corporations are conducting Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme in an unstructured manner without following the rules.”
The ministry had announced the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, on March 10, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which superseded the ABC (Dogs) rules, 2001.
In reference to the review of policies regarding killing of dangerous and aggressive dogs, the minister said that euthanizing of extremely ill dogs, suffering from incurable diseases, was allowed as per the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
However, the Act strictly disallowed the killing of healthy dogs and propagates effective implementation of ABC programs as the only scientific method of controlling stray dog population.
The Supreme Court order of 2015 stated that no innovative methods or subterfuge should be adopted by local authorities for stray dog population management other than the rules laid out under the (ABC) Dog Rules, 2001, which have now been superseded by ABC Rules, 2023.
The minister added that any kind of discrepancies while carrying out ABC procedures would not be approved by the law.
He also said that the Animal Welfare Board of India was in the process of vetting applications received for Project Recognition as part of which ABC programs would be conducted at the local levels.
The minister further informed that animal welfare organisations with requisite infrastructure and expertise were welcome to submit application for Project Recognition of each ABC centre through the AWBI portal.
