Birth Control Rules 2023: Govt lays rules to control dog population

The Centre has already issued letters to various departments and asked local bodies to implement the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has notified the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, defining the guidelines for the management and elimination of stray troubles.

"Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes for the sterilisation and immunisation of stray dogs are to be carried out by the respective local bodies/municipalities/municipal corporations and panchayats," said the government in a statement.

It also said that the cruelty involved in carrying out the ABC programme must be addressed.

The ABC programme, which addresses animal welfare issues, can be carried out by local bodies through the effective implementation of these Rules, according to the statement.

The proposed rules also said that the municipal corporation needs to implement the ABC and Anti Rabies Program jointly. "The Rules also provide guidelines on how to deal with human and stray dog conflicts without relocating the dogs in an area," the guidelines said.

One of the requirements under the Rule is that the Animal Birth Control Programme needs to be carried out by the Animal Welfare Board of India-recognised organisation specifically recognised for the Animal Birth Control programme. The list of such organisations will also be made available on the website of the Board, which will also be updated on a regular basis.

The Centre has already issued letters to various departments and asked local bodies to implement the Rules and not allow any organisations that are not recognised AWBI and approved for ABC programme or otherwise elaborated in the Rules.

Dog biting cases on rise

India recorded a whopping 160 million cases of street/stray dog bites between 2019 and 2022, according to data submitted in Parliament till November 2022. This has also led to an increase in revenge crime and atrocities against dogs, feeders of dogs and caregivers as well as conflicts among urban residents.

According to a report published last month in the Indian Express, in the last six months, Delhi's two major hospitals, Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia (RML), have seen 29,698 and 18,183 dog bite cases, respectively, far outnumbering bites from other animals such as monkeys or cats.

A senior doctor at RML hospital also told Express that stray dogs have been ignored for the past two years, which has resulted in an increase in the number of cases.