Executive Summary:
The Indian government addresses stray dog management through Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, tasking State Governments and Local Bodies with implementation. Central support includes financial aid for ABC programs, infrastructure development, and rabies control. Advisories issued until August 11, 2025, guide stakeholders in effective implementation and compliance.
Key Points / Main Content:
Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023:
* Governs humane dog population management, aligning with WOAH standards.
* Local Bodies are responsible for sterilization and vaccination programs in collaboration with animal welfare organizations.
* Sterilization programs are ongoing processes implemented by Urban Local Bodies.
Financial Assistance and Infrastructure Support:
* Financial aid of up to ₹800 per dog and ₹600 per cat for ABC programs conducted by SPCAs and Local Bodies.
* ₹2 crore one-time grant for State-run veterinary hospitals to develop surgical theatres, kennels, and recovery units.
* AWBI provides assistance for establishing small animal shelters (up to ₹15 lakh) and large animal shelters (up to ₹27 lakh) for Urban Local Bodies, SPCAs and recognized Animal Welfare Organizations.
Rabies Control:
* States receive support for antirabies vaccine procurement under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP).
* The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) implements the National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE), launched on 28.09.2021.
Advisories and Circulars:
* AWBI issued advisories and circulars for proper rule implementation (Annexure I).
* Advisories cover topics like revised ABC rates, adoption protocols, ABC rule circulation, and active participation in tenders.
* The ABC module for street dog population management, rabies eradication, and reducing man-dog conflict was launched on August 11, 2025.
Impact Analysis:
State Governments/Union Territories:
* Impact: Responsible for overseeing and supporting the implementation of ABC Rules and rabies control programs.
* Action Required: Ensure Local Bodies manage stray dogs, implement sterilization and vaccination programs and comply with advisories.
Local Bodies (Urban and Rural):
* Impact: Mandated to manage stray dog populations through ABC programs.
* Action Required: Implement sterilization and vaccination programs, establish ABC units, and undertake large-scale sterilization efforts, covering at least 70% of stray dogs.
Animal Welfare Organizations (AWOs) and SPCAs:
* Impact: Partners in implementing ABC programs and providing animal welfare services.
* Action Required: Collaborate with Local Bodies, conduct ABC programs, and establish/manage animal shelters.
Veterinary Hospitals:
* Impact: Potential recipients of grants for infrastructure development to support ABC programs.
* Action Required: Develop facilities such as surgical theaters, kennels, and recovery units to support sterilization and vaccination efforts.
Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and Apartment Owner Associations (AOAs):
* Impact: Need to understand and support ABC programs within their communities.
* Action Required: Implement ABC Rules effectively.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:
* Impact: Responsible for the National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) and the National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE).
* Action Required: Continue implementing initiatives aimed at rabies elimination.
Key Entities Referenced
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960: An act under which the Animal Birth Control ABC Rules, 2023 were framed.
Animal Birth Control ABC Rules, 2023: Rules framed by the Central Government under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 for humane and effective dog population management.
World Organisation for Animal Health WOAH: An international organization whose standards for CaptureNeuterVaccinate Release CNVR approach are aligned with the Animal Birth Control ABC Rules, 2023.
Animal Welfare Board of India AWBI: An organization through which the Scheme for Birth Control and Immunization of stray dogs and stray cats is being implemented.
Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme LHDCP: A programme under which the subcomponent Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases ASCAD provides States with support for the procurement of antirabies vaccines.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare MoHFW: The ministry implementing the National Rabies Control Programme NRCP.
National Rabies Control Programme NRCP: A programme implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, including the National Action Plan for DogMediated Rabies Elimination NAPRE, launched on 28.09.2021.
National Action Plan for DogMediated Rabies Elimination NAPRE: An initiative within the National Rabies Control Programme NRCP aimed at eliminating rabies.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4167
TO BE ANSWERED ON 19TH AUGUST, 2025
MENACE OF STRAY DOGS
4167. SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA:
Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
मत्स्यपालन, पशुपालन और डेयरी मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) the steps proposed to be taken by the Government to control the growing menace of stray
dogs with penalty and the time by which they will be implemented; and
(b) whether the Government has any national policy in this regard and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
(PROF. S.P. SINGH BAGHEL)
(a) and (b) The issue of stray dogs falls under the purview of State Governments, with Local
Bodies mandated to manage related matters. To ensure humane and effective dog population
management, the Central Government has framed the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules,
2023, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. These Rules align with the World
Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) standards for the Capture–Neuter–Vaccinate–
Release (CNVR) approach. Under the Rules, Local Bodies are responsible for implementing
sterilization and vaccination programmes in collaboration with animal welfare organizations.
The sterilization programme is an ongoing process being implemented by Urban Local Bodies.
An advisory was issued by the Secretary (Animal Husbandry and Dairying) to all Chief
Secretaries on 11.11.2024. Subsequently, on 16.07.2025, the Secretaries of the Department of
Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Ministry of
Panchayati Raj jointly issued an advisory reiterating that sterilisation of stray dogs is central to
dog population management. The advisory urged Urban Local Bodies to establish Animal Birth
Control units and undertake large-scale sterilisation programmes, covering at least 70% of stray
dogs.
Further, the Central Government has revised the existing Scheme for Birth Control and
Immunization of stray dogs and stray cats, which is being implemented through the Animal
Welfare Board of India (AWBI) from the current financial year. The details are available in the
website of AWBI at https://awbi.gov.in/Document/guidelines. Under the revised scheme:
• Financial assistance of up to ₹800 per dog and ₹600 per cat is provisioned for SPCAs
and Local Bodies to conduct ABC programmes as per the ABC Rules, 2023.
• Infrastructure support: A one-time grant of ₹2 crore is provisioned for State-run
veterinary hospitals to develop facilities such as surgical theatres, kennels, and recovery
units.• The AWBI is providing assistance for establishment of small animal shelter up to ₹15
lakh and ₹27 lakh for large animal to Urban Local Bodies, Society for Prevention of
Cruelty to Animal and recognized Animal Welfare Organizations.
Further, for proper implementation of the Rules, the AWBI has issued several advisories and
circulars which is placed at Annexure-I
In addition, under the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP), the
subcomponent Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD) provides States
with support for the procurement of anti-rabies vaccines.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), under the National Rabies Control
Programme (NRCP), is implementing the National Action Plan for Dog-Mediated Rabies
Elimination (NAPRE), launched on 28.09.2021, with multiple initiatives aimed at achieving
rabies elimination
********Annexure-I
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4167
SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA
TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.08.2025
List of Advisories issued in regard to implementation of Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023
S. Date Topic Issued from Addressed to:
No.
1 05.04.2022 Minimum revised Secretary, • The Chief Secretary of all States/UTs
Rates for conducting AWBI • The State Animal Welfare Board of all
ABC States/UTs
• The District Magistrate of all
States/UTs
• The Municipal Commissioner of all
States/UTs
2 17.05.2022 Standard Protocol for Chairman, • The Chief Secretary of all States/UTs
Adoption of AWBI • The Director General of Police of all
community animals States/UTs
• The State Animal Welfare Board of all
States/UTs
• The District Magistrate of all
States/UTs
• The Municipal Commissioner of all
States/UTs
3 27.03.2023 Circulation of ABC Secretary, • The Chief Secretary of all States/UTs
Rules DAHD
4 31.03.2023 D.O. letter regarding Joint • The Principal Secretary, DAH of all
Central Govt. has Secretary, State Govt. / UTs
notified the ABC DAHD • The Principal Secretary, Department of
Rules, 2023 Urban Development of all State
Governments/ UTs
• The Municipal Commissioner of all
Districts of all State Governments/UTs
5 30.05.2023 Implementation of Secretary, The District Magistrate/District Collector
ABC Rules 2023 AWBI of all Districts of all State
Governments/UTs
6 01.10.2024 Advise to all Secretary, All the recognised Animal Welfare
recognised AWOs for AWBI Organization(s)
Active Participation in
the tenders floated for
ABC
7 11.11.2024 DAHD Advisory for Secretary, The Chief Secretary of all the State
Dog Population DAHD Governments/UTs.
Management and
reducing Dog-bites
8 17.07.2025 Guidelines for RWAs, Chairman, • The Chief Secretary of all the State
AOAs, Local bodies AWBI Governments/UTs.
for effective • All the Resident Welfare Associations
implementation of and Apartment owner Association
ABC Rules9 17.07.2025 Constitution of Chairman, The Chief Secretary of all the State
committees as per AWBI Governments/ UTs.
Rule 9(3) of ABC
Rules 2023
10 04.08.2025 Advisory of separate Chairman, The Director General of Health Services
Dog bite Data AWBI
11 04.08.2025 Advisory for Chairman, The Chief Secretary of all the State
Mandatory Project AWBI Governments/ UTs.
Recognition
12 11.08.2025 Revised Animal Birth Chairman, The Chief Secretary of all the State
Control (ABC) module AWBI Governments/ UTs.
for Street Dogs
Population
management, rabies
eradication and
reducing man-dog
conflict launched on
11.08.2025