The Delhi government has put out a full set of rules for dealing with the city’s street dogs. The goal is to get rid of rabies and lower the number of fights between people and dogs. The new rules were made in accordance with the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960, the Animal Birth Control Rules of 2023, and specific orders from the Supreme Court. They were shared with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and the Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB).
The new rules also include a new module from the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) that aims to make sure the program runs successfully while keeping both animal welfare and public safety in mind. The MCD, NDMC, and DCB are in charge of making sure the program works. The MCD runs 20 Animal Birth Control (ABC) clinics right now. These centers are run by different NGOs that are in charge of sterilizing and vaccinating street canines.
The rules say that local governments can only work with Animal Welfare Organizations (AWOs) that the AWBI has formally recognized. This is to make sure that professional standards are met. Veterinarians, handlers, and other staff members who work at these organizations must also get special training at an ABC Training Center.
The guidelines lay out a clear plan for how things should work:
facility Infrastructure: Every ABC facility must have enough kennels, operation rooms with backup power, and customized vans for transporting. There also need to be places where trash may be thrown away safely.
All centers must have CCTV cameras in the kennel areas and be able to see them. Recordings must be kept for at least 30 days. You need to keep detailed records of every time you sterilize, vaccinate, feed, or give medical care.
Financial Responsibility: The AWOs will only be paid back for the costs of sterilization and immunization after they have been properly checked.
Program Oversight: A local ABC Monitoring Committee will be set up to meet once a month to check on progress and look into concerns. This committee will get monthly reports, and the AWBI will get an annual report by May 31st of each year.
The new laws also talk about feeding spots and ask local governments, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), and residents to work together to find the best places. When picking these areas, keep in mind that dogs are territorial and that the safety of kids and seniors should come first. The rules also underline how important it is to keep feeding areas clean and throw away any leftover food the right way.
To raise public awareness, the Delhi government will work with schools, NGOs, and animal caregivers to run awareness programs. These efforts will teach people about how dogs act, how to feed them properly, and why vaccination programs are so important.
The rules say that aggressive or rabid dogs must be caught safely and kept under watch. It is important to keep rabid canines away from other dogs until they die, and then to get rid of their bodies in a scientific way. On the other hand, dogs that are normal must be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and let go in the same place where they were caught. If necessary, aggressive dogs can also stay in private shelters that are recognized by the AWBI. The rules say that no cruelty is allowed at any time during the handling process.
The new rules are in line with the Supreme Court’s modified judgment from last month, which put a hold on an earlier order to catch and move stray canines to a permanent refuge. The National Capital Region is now home to free-roaming stray dogs, thanks to a ruling by a three-judge panel made up of Justices Vikram Nath, N.V. Anjaria, and Sandeep Mehta. The court also said that stray dogs should be given vaccinations and dewormed before they are sent back to where they came from.