Udupi, September 20, 2025 – The number of street dogs in the district is rising, causing public inconvenience, and all necessary steps must be taken to control them, directed District Collector Swaroopa T.K. during a meeting of the District Animal Welfare Committee at the Rajatadri Deputy Commissioner’s Office auditorium in Manipal on Thursday.

Presiding over the meeting, Swaroopa stressed that sterilization surgery is the key method for managing street dog populations. Local bodies must allocate funds annually for this purpose at urban and rural levels. She instructed implementing the ABC (Animal Birth Control) program with clean surgical facilities, adequate kennels for scientific capture, four-day post-surgery care, trained surgeons and staff, or through contracts with registered animal welfare organizations under the Animal Welfare Board of India.

The district receives daily complaints about street dogs attacking passengers arriving by train or bus at night. Swaroopa urged immediate action to address these issues.

Attendees included Member Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority Manu Patel, Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Dr. M.C. Reddappa, Municipal Council President Mahantesh Hangaragi, and various district-level officials and implementing authorities.