In Goa, the administration is coming up with an innovate policy to manage the increasing stray dog population. The state government has released guidelines for feeding of community dogs only at designated places.
The guidelines have been formulated following the increasing conflicts between people and dogs, commonly arising out of differences between pet owners and non-owners.
Details regarding the new guidelines:
Designated areas for feeding stray dogs will be allocated by the District Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) in consultation with Resident Welfare Associations (RWA), keeping in mind every stray dog community. The policy also stresses on the municipalities and panchayats to issue pet licenses to the dog owner and identify illegal breeders.
The guidelines do not restrict feeding of stray dogs, but it does specify that caregivers should feed street dogs in a manner that it causes least inconvenience to others.
For instance, avoid areas near children playground, jogging tracks, or places which are otherwise crowded. Further, the policy sates that in the absence of a caregiver, the onus is on every RWA/municipality/panchayat to ensure that every community dog has access to food and water.
A 6% increase in dog population in Goa
As per a recent survey, the percentage of street dogs in Goa has risen from 3% in 2014 to 9% in 2022 (nearly 4 times the global average, and despite a 60% increase in human population).
Following this, the administration is also stressing on sterilisation of stray dogs by getting in touch with the local NGOs engaged in the activity. Pet owners should also ensure that their pets are healthy and clean, not to mention regularly vaccinated too.
