Kerala Government Sets Stray Dog Euthanasia Protocol as Transparency Dispute Grows

The Kerala state government will issue a detailed protocol for the euthanasia of stray dogs before 7 August, ahead of a hearing in the Kerala High Court. The plan, announced by Local Self‑Government Minister K. M. Shaji, follows the Supreme Court’s order allowing euthanasia of rabid, incurably ill or demonstrably dangerous dogs. Under the protocol, a seven‑member committee must approve each case, and the state will expand Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres, introduce dog‑tagging, and impose fines on owners who abandon pets. Additional shelters are to be built, with officials proposing one‑acre sites that could hold around 1,000 dogs.

Separately, animal‑welfare groups in Thiruvananthapuram have raised concerns over a city‑wide stray‑dog relocation drive, alleging a lack of transparency about where captured dogs are taken. NGOs report that dogs are moved to an unidentified private farm near Kottoor, and claim that some may be culled despite Supreme Court directives. Legal experts note that the court has shifted its stance over time, permitting the return of healthy, non‑rabid dogs under certain conditions. The controversy highlights tensions between public safety, animal‑rights advocates, and government efforts to control the stray‑dog population.