The Kerala government will soon roll out mobile sterilisation units in 152 blocks and permit the “euthanasia” of seriously ill animals, amid concerns over recent dog attacks on humans and rabies-linked deaths in the state.Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh said on Wednesday (July 16) that before the portable Animal Birth Control (ABC) units are deployed across the panchayat blocks, a pilot study will be conducted in Nedumangad. “These portable units are more cost-effective than permanent ABC centres,” he told a press conference.The minister has invoked provisions under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Husbandry Practices and Procedures) Rules, 2023, for allowing euthanasia. What do the rules say, and what is the situation in Kerala?Number of stray dog attacks in Kerala in recent yearsIn the first five months of 2025, stray dogs (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) had bitten as many as 1.65 lakh people, and the attacks led to 17 deaths in Kerala. If the data is extrapolated for the year, it shows a consistent rise from 2023 (3.06 lakh cases) and 2024 (3.16 lakh cases). Last week, while considering a petition seeking compensation for a stray dog attack, the Kerala High Court had asked why it could not be declared a state-specific disaster.Overall, 37 lakh cases of dog bites were reported in India in 2024, according to a Lok Sabha response earlier this month.Also Read | Feeding stray dogs: how Indian law balances questions of compassion & public orderAccording to the 2019 livestock census, Kerala has 2.89 lakh stray dogs and 8.36 lakh domesticated canines. At 20 lakhs, Uttar Pradesh had the largest population of stray dogs in India.Story continues below this adThe Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, notified by the Union Government under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, laid out ABC programs for sterilising stray dogs in the country.However, many states, including Kerala, have not implemented it effectively. The Kerala government has cited “impractical conditions’’ and people’s resistance against establishing ABC centres as major hurdles.The state only has 15 ABC centres, and is attempting to set up 18 more in the coming months. Due to people’s protests against such centres in their localities, not a single ABC centre was opened in the Idukki, Wayanad, Malappuram and Pathanamthitta districts. According to government data, in the last fiscal, only 15,767 stray dogs were sterilised and 88,744 vaccinated.Kerala has also been seeking an amendment to the ABC rules, saying that several conditions listed under them are impractical. For instance, a stray dog caught at a location for sterilisation should be released at the same place after the sterilisation surgery. Even the apex court had ordered that relocation cannot be permitted.Story continues below this adFurther, rabies-infected dogs can only be vaccinated or sterilised. The rules also mandate state-of-the-art operation theatres, post-operative care facilities, trained veterinary doctors and other staff. A sterilised dog should be put under observation at an ABC centre for six days, under the rules.What ‘euthanasia’ means for animalsThe state government stated that since there is no provision in the ABC rules for killing stray dogs, it invoked Section 8 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Animal Husbandry Practices and Procedures) Rules, 2023.The provision allows the Centre or state government to euthanise any diseased animal that can spread the disease. A registered veterinary practitioner is to certify that the animal is mortally injured or in such a physical condition that “it shall be cruel to keep it alive.”Consent would have to be obtained from the owner or custodian of the animals in writing. It further details the procedure, including blindfolding the animal, and administering a sedative if found to be “anxious or… if there are concerns over the safety of the animal or the handler”.Story continues below this adHowever, the decision could come under legal challenge, as several animal welfare organisations have criticised such orders in the past. It also raises the question of consent in the case of stray dogs.Why the stray dog population growth remains uncheckedAccording to experts in animal husbandry industries, the increased stray dog numbers can be traced to poor waste management.Although the state government has a well-oiled system in the Haritha Karma Sena for collecting non-biodegradable waste from houses and establishments, there is no foolproof mechanism for managing waste from poultry shops and slaughterhouses. Stray dog populations flourish by feeding on such waste, as well as food waste.Besides, many households began keeping pet dogs during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, only to later abandon them.