Health Minister calls for expediting stray dog sterilisation

Minister for Health Satya Kumar Yadav on Sunday (July 13) underlined the need to speed up sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs across the State, highlighting public safety and health.

He was speaking at Dharmavaram in Sri Sathya Sai district on the third day of his ‘padayatra’. Mr. Yadav visited the Animal Birth Control (ABC) centre in the town and held a review meeting with the officials about the infrastructure and operational strategies.

The Minister inspected the availability of medical and paramedical personnel, sterilisation procedure and existing amenities at the centre. The officials informed him that there are over 3,000 stray dogs within Dharmavaram municipal limits. He instructed the Health Department of Dharmavaram Municipality to adopt scientific methods to control the situation. He said the officials should note that children and elderly persons were particularly vulnerable to dog bites and risk of rabies.

Mr. Yadav insisted that all initiatives must align with the proforma and guidelines of the Animal Welfare Board of India. He asked the municipal authorities to work in coordination with all the line departments and conduct a special drive for the sterilisation and vaccination of stray dogs.

The Minister reiterated that the government would never compromise on public health. Municipal Commissioner Pramod Kumar and local leaders accompanied the Minister during the inspection.