What Government Said About Problems Due To Stray Animals?
Stray animals have been satirically called one of the landmarks of Indian cities and villages, as many stray cattle, dogs, and other animals are seen roaming around the public places, sometimes creating potential risk to the lives of people. There have been several instances of stray dogs attacking humans, even leading to casualties.
MP Amraram recently raised the issue in the parliament and sought details of the action plan formulated to resolve the problem of stray animals. The MP also sought details of measures taken to prevent loss of life and property due to these stray animals.
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In its response, the ministry of fisheries and animal husbandry said that the matters related to the preservation, protection, and improvement of livestock; prevention of animal diseases; and veterinary training fall under the State List. The reply then noted that Article 243(W) additionally entrusted local bodies with responsibilities such as managing cattle pounds and pinjrapoles. “States may empower Panchayats to establish and manage Cattle Pounds (Kanji Houses) or Gaushala Shelters as community assets to house stray cattle,” the ministry noted, adding that many states have already established Gaushalas and shelter houses to feed and care for such animals.
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“The Rashtriya Gokul Mission, being implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, is promoting sex-sorted semen technology in artificial insemination, aiming to reduce the number of male cattle over time,” it said, adding that unproductive female animals also can be used as surrogate mothers through embryo transfer technology to produce calves.
The ministry further pointed out the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) also provides funding for shelter houses, ambulance services for animal rescue and treatment, and assistance during natural disasters. The management of stray animals is largely undertaken by gaushalas, panjra poles, kanji houses, and NGOs, it said. However, the menace of stray animal creating public inconvenience, damage, and threat to the human being have not been addressed by the ministry. In many cities, people are afraid to go out at night due to the fear of stray dog attacks.
“Furthermore, states and UTs were requested vides a letter dated 27.03.2023 to allocate land and facilities for infirmaries and shelters under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Establishment and Regulation of Societies for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Rules, 2001,” the response added.
Notably, the issue of stray animals, especially the stray dogs, has remained a significant menace to the public lives in cities and villages. Since the ban on the consumption and slaughtering of the beef, cattle left by the owners are roaming around the roads increasingly, disrupting traffic in cities, and thus becoming an obstacles.
