Euthanasia of diseased and rabid stray dogs, as proposed by the State government, is unlikely to deliver the desired results considering the legal hurdles and the health risk involved in the process, according to veterinary experts.
The State government had on Wednesday permitted the local bodies to euthanise the rabid dogs by invoking the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Husbandry Practices and Procedures) Rules 2023. As many as 3.17 lakh people sought treatment from government hospitals in the State in 2024 for dog bite-related cases. The first four months of the current year witnessed 16 rabies deaths and 1.31 lakh cases of dog bites, according to government data.
The Rules state that any diseased animal that can spread disease shall be put to death if a registered veterinary practitioner certifies that it is mortally or severely injured or in a physical condition that it would be cruel to keep it alive.
Euthanasia, say the Rules, shall be done after blindfolding the animal. It shall be handled and controlled humanely to minimise its fear, pain and distress. The animal shall be sedated if it’s in an anxious state or fear or if there are concerns over the safety of the animal or the handler. It shall be put down by giving an overdose of anaesthetic to cause death, noted the Rule.
Handling of rabid dogs as prescribed in the Rules could pose serious risks to the dog handlers and the veterinarians, who shall administer the drug to put the animal to death, pointed out V.K.P. Mohankumar, State general secretary of the Indian Veterinary Association, Kerala.
The government shall go for legislation to facilitate the legal euthanising of rabid dogs without much hassle. The practice of administering one dose of anti-rabies vaccine to street dogs suspected of having been bitten by rabid dogs is unscientific. Such dogs shall be given the full course of vaccine and kept under supervision for 120 days before releasing them. Intensive Animal Birth Control measures during the breeding period and not euthanasia can help in bringing down the canine population, he suggested.
Any deviation from the Rules while euthanising the dogs could land the veterinarians in legal trouble. Moreover, administering drugs to put the dogs to death is a risky task as there exists a high possibility of the animal attacking humans, feared a senior government veterinarian.
Aggressive animals shall be kept in shelters and at least 150 ABC units shall be opened. Pet dogs, which are not kept for breeding shall be sterilised and their licensing made mandatory. Besides the reduction in dumping of waste, mobile surgery units and portable ABC units should be set up, the Association demanded.
Published – July 17, 2025 07:32 pm IST
