Kerala Mulls Limited Culling of Stray Dogs as Pressure Rises Over Attacks

Taking legal opinion, idea is to identify aggressive & rabid dogs in each locality, says official

- SHAINU MOHAN @T'Puram

FACING mounting public anger over stray dog attacks, the state government is seeking legal opinion on whether limited culling of aggressive and rabid dogs can be allowed.

While the last survey put the total number of stray dogs in the state at around 2.9 lakh, their numbers have increased significantly over the past three years, according to officials. But the state has neither the infrastructure nor the resources to perform more than 18,000 to 20,000 sterilisations per year and hence culling in a limited way is the only way to control the growing stray-dog population, sources said.