Government serious on Wandering Stray Animals

Pashu Sandesh, 23 FEB 2021

As per Article 246(3) of the Constitution of India in List II of Seventh Schedule, the Preservation, protection and improvement of stock and prevention of animal diseases; veterinary training and practice are under State list on which the State has exclusive power to make laws for such State or any part thereof with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List II in the Seventh Schedule. Further, as per Article 48 of the Constitution of India State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.

As per the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, the state may endow Panchayats to establish and run the Cattle Pounds (Kanji Houses)/ Gaushala Shelters (community assets). The many States are establishing the Gaushalas and Shelter houses for control of Stray Cattle. Therefore, it is also the responsibility of the local bodies to control stray animals.

The Central Government has framed, Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 for sterilization and immunization of stray dogs. The scheme for the Animal Birth Control Programme is being implemented by the Local bodies to control the population of stray dogs. The Animal Welfare Board of India is implementing the Scheme of Animal Birth Control and immunization of stray dogs by providing grants-in-aid to the Animal Welfare Organizations and local bodies which are implementing the ABC programme.

The Animal Welfare Board of India is also providing grant-in-aid under the Scheme for Shelter House for looking after the animals. The objective of this scheme is to establish and maintain shelter houses for distressed animals in the country. The many States are also implementing various programmes for control of stray cattle by incentivizing the gaushalas for feed, fodder and veterinary care. The Central Government is also implementing sex sorting semen technology for artificial insemination which will produce only female animals. Once this effort is successful, the number of male animals which are left by the farmers will be reduced.

As per the information received from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Goa, the following two schemes are implemented by the States:

(i) Goa Stray Cattle Management Scheme 2013 (Modified) The Government has introduced a Scheme for stray cattle to facilitate Local Bodies (Municipality/ Panchayats), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), Goshalas, and Civic Consumer Forum (CCF) to curb stray cattle menace under the scheme.

(ii) Goa Small Animal Rescue Management Scheme 2014. The Government has also introduced a Scheme for stray dogs to facilitate Local Bodies (Municipality/Panchayats), NGOs, to curb stray dog menace under the scheme.