Kerala proposes 10-year plan to end human rabies by 2030
Kerala has proposed a decade-long plan to manage its stray dog population, aiming for zero human rabies deaths by 2030.
Instead of focusing only on sterilization, the state wants to boost adoptions and fix waste management, since street waste sustains the stray population.
The roadmap was prepared by a committee comprising experts from KVASU and the Animal Husbandry Department, along with members of the Kerala Grama Panchayat Association, and handed over to Minister for Local Self-Government K.M. Shaji.
Shelter upgrades, adoption perks, sterilization centers
The plan comes in four phases: first up is improving shelters and encouraging responsible pet ownership.
To get more people adopting, there are perks like subsidies and lifelong free anti-rabies vaccination, licensing, and microchipping.
There's also a push for better waste management, new animal birth control centers across districts, and more group adoptions by institutions.
Local authorities and public support will be key if Kerala wants these goals to stick.