Shelter scarcity, poor planning sluggish stray canine management in Vijayawada

Expressing concern over the rising variety of canine assaults throughout the nation, the Supreme Court on November 7 directed States and Union Territories to take away stray canines from public locations and shift them to “designated shelters” after sterilisation and vaccination.

However, the order has sparked backlash from animal welfare advocates, who argue that it undermines long-term and humane approaches such because the Animal Birth Control (ABC) and vaccination programmes. Implementing the directive has additionally confirmed difficult in Vijayawada, which lacks enough shelter amenities for canines.

“Relocating road canines to shelters is rarely the answer,” mentioned Pisupati Ravi Keerthi, founding father of the Vijayawada-based Sanghamitra Animal Foundation, who has rescued over 12,000 animals up to now seven years. Criticising the Supreme Court’s order, he argued that it fails to deal with the foundation trigger. “When canines chase automobiles or assault youngsters, individuals blame the animals as an alternative of questioning the company. Why doesn’t it allocate adequate funds for neutering drives?” he requested.

In the ₹1,454.58 crore funds for 2025–26, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) put aside ₹5.5 crore to manage the animal menace — greater than double final yr’s ₹2 crore allocation — however nonetheless thought-about inadequate.

“At the Ajith Singh Nagar shelter, upkeep is poor. Dogs simply choose up ticks and infections in such circumstances. There have been a number of situations the place canines needed to be re-sutured quickly after sterilisation,” mentioned Mr. Ravi Keerthi.

He additionally alleged that the sterilisation drives are performed in a disorganised method. “There is not any ward-level planning. Moreover, the company fails to launch canines again into their authentic localities after surgical procedure, resulting in aggressiveness and territorial fights,” he identified.

The Animal Welfare Board of India’s Revised ABC Module, issued in February 2025, stresses that canine inhabitants administration and rabies prevention rely on the efficient implementation of the ABC Rules, 2023. The module warns that making a territorial vacuum — when a couple of canines are eliminated whereas others escape — can result in extra conflicts and chew incidents.

According to VMC information, Vijayawada has about 40,000 road canines and 320 kennels. Of these, round 14,000 canines have been neutered and vaccinated. “The restricted variety of kennels, the place canines are stored underneath remark for per week post-surgery, has slowed down the ABC programme,” mentioned B. Somasekhar Reddy, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, VMC. “We plan to construct extra kennels, however this requires extra funding, which can be taken up within the subsequent council assembly,” he added.

In compliance with the Supreme Court’s order, the VMC has determined to concern notices to instructional establishments, railway and bus stations, hospitals, and different public institutions, advising them to put in boundary fencing and appoint a nodal officer to make sure no stray canines enter their premises.

The company has additionally recognized 59 designated feeding zones throughout the town’s three circles to minimise human-animal battle. “We are urging residents to feed canines away from residential areas, and sanitation officers have been instructed to observe the method,” Mr. Somasekhar Reddy mentioned.

Calling for a balanced method, Mr. Ravi Keerthi emphasised the necessity for public consciousness. “People should be taught the dos and don’ts when coping with road canines. They are a part of our neighborhood, and it’s our collective obligation to make sure that the canines in our locality are vaccinated and sterilised,” he mentioned.