New Delhi: The Central government has urged states to direct urban local bodies to set up dedicated Animal Birth Control (ABC) units and carry out large-scale sterilisation of stray dogs, targeting at least 70% coverage.

Minister of State for Animal Husbandry and Dairying, S. P. Singh Baghel, informed the Lok Sabha that sterilisation remains a key component of stray dog population management and is being carried out as a continuous process by local bodies. He added that the Ministry has updated its scheme for birth control and vaccination of stray dogs and cats, which is being implemented by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) from the current financial year.

Under the revised scheme, financial assistance has been allocated — up to ₹800 per dog and ₹600 per cat — for societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals (SPCAs) and urban local bodies to conduct ABC programmes. Additionally, AWBI is extending support for establishing shelters, providing up to ₹15 lakh for small animals and ₹27 lakh for larger facilities.

Baghel further explained that under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme, states also receive aid for procuring anti-rabies vaccines through the Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD) component. Parallelly, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing the National Rabies Control Programme, which includes the National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination launched in 2021.

The Minister clarified that while the responsibility of managing stray dogs lies with state governments and local bodies, the Centre has laid down guidelines under the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, framed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. These rules adopt the Capture–Neuter–Vaccinate–Release (CNVR) model in line with international standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health. Implementation is to be carried out by local bodies in collaboration with recognised animal welfare groups.