In 1994, amid studies that showed the killing of strays was ineffective in controlling population and decreasing the incidence of rabies, a new sterilization and vaccination program was born. This program is run by non-governmental animal welfare organizations in collaboration with municipal governments. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and other animal welfare organizations were nominated to help carry out the new rules of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960. Under the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules of 2001, groups have been sent out to capture dogs in order to have them surgically spayed or neutered, vaccinated, then returned to their territory only. Each dog receives medical care, if necessary, prior to sterilization and stays in post operative care for 8 days. The Animal Welfare Board of India published the ‘Standard Operating Procedures for Sterilization of Stray Dogs Under the Animal Birth Control Programme’ to help guide efforts.
Sterilization of the dogs has so far been successful in reducing the following overall:
- migration and mating
- territorial aggression that leads to dog fights/human injury
- transmission of rabies to humans
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